J Korean Fract Soc.  2002 Apr;15(2):129-137. 10.12671/jksf.2002.15.2.129.

Treatment of nonunion of proximal tibia: Treatment using external fixator

• Whang KS
• Sung IH
• Park JS

• KMID: 1999391
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12671/jksf.2002.15.2.129

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate causes, treatment methods, outcomes and usefulness of external fixator after we have treated patients with proximal tibial nonunion successfully using external fixator.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We treated the 10 patients with proximal tibial nonunion between December, 1991 and December, 2000. Mean follow-up period was 18.5 months. We analyzed numbers of operations, operative methods and causes of nonunion, and rated bony and functional results according to Paley's classification.
RESULTS
The causes of nonunion were infection in 6 cases, insecure fixation in 4 cases. Bony union was achieved in all 10 cases. The mean time of union was 12.9 months. Complications were developed in 8 cases. Pin site infection occurred in 7 cases, pain in 8 cases, joint stiffness in 2 cases, angular deformity in 2 cases. Functional results were excellent in one, good in four, fair in three, poor in two.
CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that external fixation method using external fixator such as Ilizarov in treating nonunion of proximal tibia was very useful because of offering advantages of bony shortening and compression, bony lengthening, bone grafting and early weight bearing in patient with infected nonunion and bone defect with many complications

Keyword

Proximal tibia; Nonunion; External fixator

MeSH Terms

Bone Lengthening
Classification
Congenital Abnormalities
External Fixators*
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Joints
Tibia*
Transplants
Weight-Bearing