The Treatment of Tibial Infected Nonunion by the Ilizarov Method

Yang, Chang Yeul; Choi, Kyung Soo; Lee, Young Ki

Abstract

The goal of treatment in infected nonunion include the elimination of infection, complete bony union and prevention of bony defects and deformity. Twenty patients with infected nonunion were treated using ilizarov external fixator from January 1992 to August 1993. The results were summarized as follows, 1. The main causes of infection were mixed infection in all cases and main causative agents were pseudomonas and staphylococcus. 2. Ninteen cases of infected nonunion were achieved bony union and one case was failed. The mean time to union was 10.6 months. The healing index averaged 51.3 days. 3. The bone results were excellent in sixteen cases, good in three and poor in one. The functional results were excellent in seven cases, good in eight and fair in five. 4. We experienced 35 complications, five were joint ankylosis. one was nonunion and we could solve the rest of complications with conservative treatment and minor surgery. 5. There were no problems in getting the bony union at bony distraction site in all cases. But, there were numbers of problem at the docking site such as autogenous bone graft, nonunion. So, it is important to wide resection of infected necrotic tissue and early bone graft. 6. We could solve the poor soft tissue problem with acute shortening method of bone.