ReTreatment of nonunion of the distal phalanx with olecranon bonegraft

Re: Özçelik B, Kabakas F, Mersa B. Treatment of nonunion of the distal phalanx with olecranon bone graft. J Hand Surg Eur. 2009, 34: 638–42
Dear Sir,
We read this paper with interest and thank the authors for reporting their experience in the surgical treatment of nonunion of fractures of the distal phalanx. Özçelik et al. recommend surgical treatment with bone graft harvested from the olecranon and stabilization of the nonunion with a Kirschner wire. We too, found that nonunion of these fractures are mostly atrophic and agree that surgery is needed, but only for symptomatic nonunion and possibly within the first three months after trauma.