Kienböck's disease a tendency of the implant to smooth the edges of the surrounding bones, thus causing painful pinched nerves when the bones slip out of place. After the lunate is removed, another procedure, "ulnar shortening" can be performed. This relieves pressure on the newly formed wrist joint of the pisiform, hamate and capitate. Depending on the surgeon, the procedure may be performed the same way as the "radial shortening" where a small section is removed, or the entire top of the ulna may be excised. At Stage 4, the lunate has completely disintegrated and the other bones in the wrist have
Hamate bone bone has six surfaces: The "hook of hamate" () is found at the proximal, ulnar side of the hamate bone. The hook is a curved, hook-like process that projects 1–2 mm distally and radially. The hook forms the ulnar border of the carpal tunnel, and the radial border for Guyon's canal. Numerous structures attach to it, including ligaments from the pisiform, the transverse carpal ligament, and the tendon of Flexor carpi ulnaris. Its medial surface to the flexor digiti minimi brevis and opponens digiti minimi; its lateral side is grooved for the passage of the flexor tendons into the palm