Locking plate to treat postoperative nonunion of long bone fracture / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of locking plate in the treatment of postoperative nonunion of limb long bone fracture.Methods We treated 53 patients whose limb long bone fracture failed to unite after operation with locking plate between April 2011 and November 2014.They were 38 men and 15 women,aged from 20 to 69 (average,39.7).There were 18 humeral fractures,5 radioulnar ones,9 femoral ones,and 21 tibial ones.On average,each patient had undergone 1.2 previous operations (from 1 to 2 times),including plating in 29 cases,intramedullary nailing in 15,and external fixation in 9.In the 15 patients whose intramedullary nails were reserved because of slightly loosening only under axial stress,lateral force and rotation,the nonunion was treated with bone autograft + unicortical or full-thickness locking plate.In the other 38 patients whose original implants were removed,the nonunion was treated by re-reaming of the medullary cavity + bone autograft + locking plate internal fixation.Regular radiological follow-ups were conducted for the patients.The functional recovery of upper limbs was evaluated by the Neer system while that of the lower limbs by the Johner-Wruhs system.Results One patient was lost to the follow-up.The rest 52 were followed up for 4 to 15 months (average,12.7 months).Nonunion was found in 2 patients whose internal fixation was broken and loosened.Bone healing was achieved in 50 cases after 4 to 6 months(average,5 months).Removal of implants was conducted in 36 patients at 12 to 24 months after operation (average,13.3 months).At the final follow-ups,the Neer score of upper limb was excellent in 15 cases,good in 5,fair in one and poor in one,giving an excellent to good rate of 90.9％;the Johner-Wruhs score of lower limb was excellent in 24 cases,good in 3,fair in 2 and poor in one,giving an excellent to good rate of 90.0％.Conclusion Locking plate can have good curative efficacy in the treatment of postoperative nonunion of long bone fracture.