Treatment of scaphoid nonunion with a vascularized bone graft based on the 1,2‑intercompartmental supraretinacular artery (1,2‑ICSRA) involves complex wrist anatomy. Traditional teaching methods rely mainly on anatomical atlases and two‑dimensional (2D) computed tomography (CT) images, making it difficult for students to mentally reconstruct three‑dimensional (3D) spatial relationships. Three‑dimensional digital anatomy technology can provide visual 3D structural information that clearly illustrates the spatial relationships among anatomical structures, thereby potentially improving the teaching of complex anatomy. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of CT‑based 3D digital anatomy teaching in enhancing students’ understanding and application of the 1,2‑ICSRA vascularized bone graft procedure for scaphoid nonunion. This randomized controlled trial enrolled 64 medical students in their clinical clerkship who were allocated to an experimental group or a control group and received a 4‑week teaching intervention. The experimental group was taught using CT‑based 3D digital anatomy models, while the control group received conventional teaching based on 2D CT images. Teaching outcomes were assessed by a final theoretical examination, a case‑based group presentation, and a questionnaire survey. The experimental group outperformed the control group in both the final theoretical examination (87.30 ± 5.50 vs. 83.17 ± 6.11, P = 0.008) and the case‑based presentation (8.60 ± 1.14 vs. 6.60 ± 1.14, P = 0.024). Questionnaire results showed that the experimental group reported higher satisfaction with the teaching method and better understanding of the course content (Both P - values were 0.05). Under the conditions of this study, CT‑based 3D digital anatomy teaching was superior to traditional 2D image teaching in improving students’ knowledge of the relevant anatomy and clinical application skills for the 1,2‑ICSRA vascularized bone graft procedure for scaphoid nonunion. The findings suggest potential for broader application, but this needs to be confirmed by larger, multicenter studies with long‑term follow‑up. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2600116396. Retrospectively registered on 9 January 2026.
Zhu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.