Orthopaedic surgeons have employed many different techniques for the management of nonunion of long bone. But, nonunion of long bone continued to challenge orthopaedic surgeons.
We used Ilizarov apparatus for the chronic infected nonunions or nonunions with large bone defect to achieve union, to correct deformity, to eradicate infection and to eliminate bone defect. Twentyeight patients were treated for
nonunions
of
long bone with Ilizarov apparatus by the same surgeon between 1990 march and 1992 August.
@ES Followings are the summary of the results.
@EN 1. 27 patients achieved solid bony union. The average duration of application of apparatus was 10.12 months.
@2. 8 patients with less than 2cm shortening were treated by monofocal compression osteosyhthesis, with an average healing time of 6.3 months. None of these 3 cases had infection.
3. 14 patients with infection and less than 2cm bone defect were also treated by monofocal compression osteosynthesis, with an average healing time of 8.7 months.
4. 6 patients with more than 2cm shortening or bone defect were treated by bone lengthening or bone transport. The average length gain was 5.6cm.
5. We have not any significant complications with Ilizarov method. The most common complication was a superficial pin tract infection in 12 patients(43%).
6. If the bony defect was not large, it was thought to be beetter to change B1 or B3 type nonunion to B2 type improve bony contact and healing.
We find ourselves capable of solving increasingly more difficult problems with level of success rarely, if ever, achieved with wther conventional method.
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