# Kienböck's Disease: A Narrative Review of Pathophysiology, Etiology, and Classification Systems

## TL;DR

This paper reviews the causes, progression, and classification systems of Kienböck's disease, a condition affecting the lunate bone in the wrist.

## Contribution

The paper provides a narrative review consolidating current knowledge on the pathophysiology and classification of Kienböck's disease.

## Key findings

- Most research focuses on treatment options rather than the underlying causes and progression of Kienböck's disease.
- There is limited consensus on the ideal surgical management for the condition.

## Abstract

Kienböck’s disease affects the lunate bone and results in avascular necrosis. It remains a disease that is not widely understood in terms of disease progression and the pathophysiology surrounding it. Despite multiple studies existing about the surgical management options, there is still no consensus about the ideal surgical modality for it. In this narrative review, the aim was to read and summarise existing literature about the pathophysiology, causes, and current classification systems. The search databases used included PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar with search words, including “Kienböck”, “Kienböck disease”, “lunate avascular necrosis”, “Lichtman classification”, “Kienböck classification”, ‘Kienböck litigation”, “avascular necrosis”. The majority of published research focused mainly on the treatment options and history of the disease, with a limited number of papers about the etiology, pathophysiology, and progression.