I fell on the ice and hurt my wrist. An X-ray showed that the wrist was not broken, but the bone in the middle was damaged. I wore an arm splint for six weeks. However, the bone hasn’t healed. What’s the next step?

A wrist injury of this type can lead to death of the bone, a process called avascular (without blood) necrosis (death). The bone in the center of the wrist (called the lunate) is only supplied with blood on one side. Anything that stops the blood to this bone can cause this condition.

Other treatment options include surgery. One new method removes the dead or dying bone and inserts a new piece of bone (bone graft) in its place. Doctors do not usually pin the bone in place in order to avoid damaging the bone graft and its blood supply.