effect of starting treatment in the prevalence of scaphoid nonunion

Scaphoid fractures are the most common wrist fractures; immobilization of wrist by plaster of Paris is the treatment of choice in persisting fractures of the middle and terminal part of the scaphoid. Many factors are effective on nonunion of scaphoid bone. The purpose of this study was to determine the relation between delay in starting treatment [1 to 3 weeks] with prevalence rate of fracture nonunion. In this study, the result of union in 57 patients with middle part fracture of the scaphoid and 1 to 3 weeks delay in treatment was compared with 60 patients as control who referred for treatment on the first day of fracture. Out of 57 cases under study, in 8 there was nonunion and in the control group, only 2 patients had nonunion, which indicated delay in treatment is significantly effective on nonnunion of scaphoid fractures [p<0.05]. It is recommended that in case of feeling pain and sensitivity on the snuffbox after trauma to wrist even when there is no evidence of fracture line in radiography be considered scaphoid fracture and treatment with plastering be undertaken and delay in starting treatment due to the increase in prevalence rate of scaphoid nonunion