Operative Treatment 
of Carpal Scaphoid Nonunions

Keimyung Medical Journal 2003;22(Suppl):73-80.

Operative Treatment of Carpal Scaphoid Nonunions

수근 주상골 불유합에 대한 수술적 치료 결과

편영식; 박진욱

Abstract

The operative methods; which can result in better functional outcome and an early union in the nonunion of scaphoid fracture were evaluated. The study included 20 patients who were diagnosed from June 1994 to June 2001 as non-union scaphoid fracture. Twenty patients were treated with autogenous iliac bone graft and internal fixation by Herbert screw or K-wires at keimyung university Hospital. The average follow-up period was 24.8 months. Bone unions were obtained in 19 cases (95%) with an average of 13.5 weeks in K-wires group and 9.7 weeks in the Herbert screw group. Eleven cases (78%) in the K-wires group and 5 cases (89%) in the Herbert screw group showed excellent and good result; judged by the Maudsley method. The above results led us to conclude that the autogenous iliac bone graft and internal fixation by K-wires and Herbert screw are good treatments for nonunion scaphoid fracture. We further believe that the Herbert screw; which has better stability; is a more profitable fixation device for improved functional recovery.

Key Words: Bone graft, Herbert screw, Internal fixation, K-wires, Nonunion, Scaphoid