Treatment of delayed union and non-union of the carpal scaphoid with a compression staple and cancellous bone grafting--new method and preliminary results.

Scaphoid non-union (eight cases) and delayed union (three cases) were treated by compression staple and inlay of cancellous bone from iliac crest between the bony fragments. Union was achieved in ten of the cases (91 per cent). The consolidation time was 8-12 weeks in seven cases and 24 weeks or more in three cases. The compression stable fixation connected with bone grafting is a new and simple method to treat chronic fractures of the carpal scaphoid which is a difficult problem. The early results appear promising.