It is often difficult to achieve bony union in the cases of nonunion of the fractured tibia. The frequency of nonunion of tibial shaft is increasing due to an increment of open, comminuted fractures, associate soft tissue injuries and association
of
visceral ruptures, and so its treatments give orthopedic surgeons a rather difficult obstacles.
9 cases of nonunion of tibial shaft were treated from Jan. 1988 to Dec., 1992 and the average folllow up period was 11.6 months with minimal 9 months and maximum 17 months, and the results were as follows:
1. Of the 9patients, there were 7male and 2 female patients.
2. The cause of the fractures was traffic accident, all of 9.
3. Of the 9 cases, there were 6 open and 3 closed fractures.
4. The shape of fractures consisted of 3 comminuted, 3 segmental, 2 oblique, 1 transverse.
5. At the time of initial treatemt, 5 were treated operatively, 4 wee treated conservatively.
6. Of the 3 associated injuries, there was 1 pelvic bone fracture, 1 multiple rib fracture with pneumo-hemothorax, 1 head injury.
7. Average period from injury to diagnosis as nonunion was 9.3 months.
8. Of the probable causes of nonunion, 5 cases were caused by inadequate or inappropriate immobilization, 2 by bone defect, 1 by infection, 1 by implant failure.
9. The average time required for union was 6.4 months in hypertrophic nonunion and 8.8 months in atrophic nonunion.
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