Abstract: The wrist is a complex mechanical structure that relies upon stable bony constructs that are controlled by isometric (ligamentous) constraints. Disruption of these ligamentous constraints creates pathological motion within the wrist and loss of function. To better understand these problems, specifically designed software has been developed to recreate a 3D model of the wrist from plain CT scans. The relationship between the various bones is controlled by rules such as bony dimensions, isometric constraints, object interaction and load points. The ability to identify specific ligament disruptions, the development of new reconstructive techniques and the opportunity to pre test these procedures based on the dynamic model may now be possible. Examples of this work are on line at www.truelifeanatomy.com.

Resume: Dr. Sandow did his medical training through Flinders University and his basic surgical and advanced Orthopaedic Surgery training in Adelaide under the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, but with time in Oxford, New Zealand and PNG. He completed a Hand and Microsurgical Fellowship at Duke University in North Carolina before returning to Adelaide to commence as a Staff Specialist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1989. He has been in private orthopaedic practice at the Wakefield Orthopaedic Clinic as well as a Senior Visiting Medical Specialist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital for ten years. Research activities include treatments of problems in the hand and wrist including bone fusions, flexor tendon repairs and the replacement of the various wrist bones with (cartilage/bone) rib graft. The presented work has received the best paper award at the Annual Australian Hand Surgery Society Meeting (1998 & 1999), as well as being an invited presentation at the Mayo Clinic (2000), International Hand Federation Meeting in Istanbul and the Department of Orthopaedics, Duke University Medical Center, (2001).

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