Clinical outcomes of induced membrane technique in treatment of traumatic segmental bone defects / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcomes of induced membrane technique in the treatment of traumatic segmental bone defects.Methods From May 2011 to January 2016,we treated 10 patients with traumatic segmental bone defect of the lower limb.They were 7 men and 3 women,with an average age of 41.6 years (from 18 to 61 years.The bone defects involved 8 tibias and 2 femurs;the mean length of the bone defects was 5.1 cm (from 2 to 15 cm).All the segmental bone defects were teated by induced membrane technique.At the first stage,the bone defects were filled with antibiotic-impregnated cement spacer after thorough debridement,the limb was fixated with external fixtor,and soft tissue repair was performed in 5 patients.On average all the patients received emergency treatment at the first stage 8.1 hours (from 4 to 13 hours) after trauma.At the second stage,after the cement was removed,the bone defects were filled with cancellous autografts.An allograft was used when the autograft was not adequate enough.The external fixtor was exchanged by internal fixation in one patient according to his soft tissue condition and will;the exteranl fixation was retained in the other 9 patients.Results The average follow-up was 2.8 years (from 1.0 to 5.5 years).Bone healing was achieved in 9 patients after an average of 7.1 months (from 5 to 9 months),and nonunion happened in one patient whose bone graft had been not sufficient enough.Stress fracture occurred in one patient 7 months after bone healing,but it responded to conservative management.One patient reported numbness on the anterolateral thigh of the donor site.Pin tract infection occurred in 3 patients.Follow-ups revealed no limb length discrepancy or deep infection.Conclusion Induced membrane technique is a simple and reliable technique for the treatment of traumatic segmental bone defects.