To analyze the relationship of fracture patterns in cases diagnosed as scapholunate dissociation after treatment for distal radius fracture.

Forty-six cases were analyzed clinically and radiographically. Twenty-four cases were treated by closed reduction and percutaneous k-wire fixation, twelve cases by closed reduction, k-wire and external fixator application, and ten cases by open reduction and plate fixation. For radiological evaluation, scapholunate gap, scapholunate angle, and radiolunate angle were analyzed to detect scapholunate dissociation and dorsal intercalated segmental instability.

In the 7 cases with a borderline scapholunate gap (>2 mm), 3 cases with an initial fracture line involving the interfacet prominence progressed to static scapholunate dissociation.

Initial scapholunate gap and fracture line geometry of the distal radius were helpful for predicting progression to static scapholunate dissociation.