Ilizarov external fixation combined with bone surface roughening technique for tibial dystrophic nonunion / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of Ilizarov external fixation combined with bone surface roughening technique in the treatment of tibial dystrophic nonunion.Methods:The data were retrospectively studied of the 11 patients with tibial dystrophic nonunion who had been treated at Department of Orthopedics, 920 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of PLA from April 2018 to January 2021. They were 7 males and 4 females, aged from 32 to 61 years (average, 44.6 years). Their last surgical fixation before admission was Hoffman Ⅱ external fixation in 6 cases and locking plate internal fixation in 5 cases. The time from their last operation to the present operation ranged from 9 to 26 months (average, 14.2 months). After treatment by Ilizarov external fixation combined with bone surface roughening technique, the 11 patients started weight-bearing walking with double crutches from the second day after operation, gradually progressed to walking with a single crutch 2 months after operation, and resumed normal weight-bearing walking without any crutch 3 months after operation.Results:All the 11 patients were followed up for 12 to 30 months (average, 20.0 months). The time for bearing Ilizarov external fixation ranged from 6 to 10 months (average, 8.6 months). Mild pin track infection occurred in 4 cases but was healed by pin track rinse with normal saline; moderate pin track infection happened in another 2 cases but responded to oral amoxicillin capsules for one week in addition to pin track rinse with normal saline. All the bone dystrophic nonunion was cured after 6 to 10 months (average, 8.6 months). By the bone criteria of Association for Study and Application of Method of Ilizarov (ASAMI), the efficacy was excellent in 8 cases, good in 2 and fair in one at the last follow-up; by the limb function criteria of ASAMI, the efficacy was excellent in 9 cases and good in 2 at the last follow-up.Conclusion:Ilizarov external fixation combined with bone surface roughening technique is an effective treatment of tibial dystrophic nonunion.