Two - stage Reconstruction for Open Infected Un - united Fractures of Tibia

Kim, Jin Young; Kim, Hyoung Min; Yang, Seung Wook; Lim, Sung Wan

Abstract

One of the serious and challenging problems confronting orthopaedic surgeons is an open un-united fracture of tibia. Especially, there are some difficulties in getting bone union on the condition of combining soft tissue defect with infection. In the management of infected un-united fracture of tibia with significant soft tissue loss we attempted a two-stage reconstruction : the first stage consisted of radical sequestrectomy, soft tissue reconstruction, and external fixation, and the 2nd stage consisted of various types of bone grafting and bone fixation. Fifteen patients with open infected un-united fractures of tibia treated with staged reconstruction from September 1982 to August 1987 at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dae-Jeon's St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College, were analyzed in clinical aspects and the results of treatment obtained were as follows : 1. Satisfactory bone union was obtained in an average of 6 months after bone graft with a range of 4 months to 12 months. 2. The duration from the injury to bone union was 13 months on an average with a range of 8 months to 19 months. 3. The soft tissue rer.onstruction at the first stage were performed with local flap in 11 cases and muscular flap in 2 cases and musculocuteneous flap in 2 cases. 4. The time interval between 1st stage and 2nd stage was from 1.5 months to 3 months. 5. At the 2nd stage, bone graft were performed with autogenous cancellous bone graft in 11 cases, vascularized osteocutaneous fibular graft in 2 cases and ipsilateral vascularized fibular transference in 2 cases. In summary, a two-stage reconstruction for open infected un-united fracture of tibia is a advisable procedure that leads to bone union with satisfactory return of function.