The Infected Bone Nonunion and Soft Tissue Defect of Long Bone Treated Simultaneously With Ilizarov Technique

The Infected Bone Nonunion and Soft Tissue Defect of Long Bone Treated Simultaneously With Ilizarov Technique

In this retrospective study, the investigators evaluated the clinical and functional results of infected nonunion of the long bone with soft-tissue defects treated simultaneously with Ilizarov technique combining open dressing change in 22 patients. The investigators wanted to find out whether that the internal bone transport with external fixator combining open dressing change is a valuable method to treatment for those patients with infected bone nonunion and poor condition of the soft tissue such as sinus, skin defect.

From January 2002 to now, totally 22 patients (18 males, 4 females) were underwent internal bone transport for infected nonunion in the long bone with soft-tissue defects. The mean age of the patients was 36.5 years (range, 19 to 57). The infected nonunion occurred on the femur in 1 patients, the tibia in 21 patients. The hybrid mono-lateral limb reconstruction external fixator was used, combined with bone transport. The results were evaluated by the classification of the Association for the Study and Application of the Method of Ilizarov (ASAMI) which divided into bone and functional categories

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with infected nonunion of long bone with soft tissue defects or sinus, without systemic illness that could affect their immunologic status (e.g., AIDS, diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient noncooperation and an age of less than 18 years