Free non-vascularized fibular graft in treatment of bone defects

ABSTRACT

To determine the usefulness of free non-vascularized fibular graft in the treatment of nonunions and bone defects. Design: Prospective descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study The study was conducted at Combined Military Hospital/Military Hospital Rawalpindi from September 1997 to June 2000. Subjects and A total of twenty-one cases where free non-vascularized fibular graft was used were included in the study. The indications were varied and included nonunited femoral neck fractures, post-infective and post-traumatic bone defects and bone tumour/cyst resection defects. Overall union was achieved in 76.2% of cases [85.7% in upper limb and 71.4% in lower limb]. Stress fracture occurred in two [9.5%] cases in lower limb. Infection was the cause in all five [23.8%] cases with failure of union and graft resorption. Use of free non-vascularized bone graft in selected patients with suitable recipient bed is a simple and costeffective procedure still valid to bridge bone defects in our setup