Ten cases of unstable scaphoid nonunions treated with Herbert screw fi
xation were compared to nine cases treated with Herbert screw fixation
supplemented with a single Kirschner wire (K-wire) across the fractur
e site. Corticocancellous bone graft from the distal radius was used i
n all cases to reconstruct the scaphoid. The age of the patients and d
uration of the nonunions were similar in both groups. Postoperative ra
diographs demonstrated that only 5 of 10 patients with Herbert screw f
ixation alone healed, while 8 of 9 patients with Herbert screw and K-w
ire fixation healed. The time to union averaged 4.9 months in the pati
ents supplemented with a K-wire and 7.8 months in those patients witho
ut the K-wire.