European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: Nonunions of the tibia may be associated with low-density bone tissue, bone loss, adjacent
soft-tissue damage, limb shortening, limb deformities and joint contractures. There is no gold standard
for the treatment of nonunions of the tibia.
Aims and Objectives: The purpose of our study was to assess the results of treatment with the Ilizarov
method in patients with aseptic nonunions of the tibia, depending on the employed treatment strategies
and surgical techniques. To achieve union at nonunion site with correction of limb length discrepancy
and correction of deformity with early function and mobilization.
Materials and Methods: Our study has been taken place, Department of Orthopaedics, Maharaja
Agrasen Medical College, Agroha, Haryana, India. The operators used one of two treatment strategies:
neutral fixation without compression or continued compression. The following were assessed: rates of
union, ASAMI bone scores, ASAMI functional scores, treatment time, complications, duration of
hospital stay. It is prospective study of treatment of aseptic nonunion of shaft tibia. As we have taken 35
patients of tibial nonunion. All relevant pre and perioperative information and complications were
recorded. Also assessment of functional outcome was made.
Results and Observations: In our study we have evaluated the differences in time to union in the
subgroup of patients with at least one risk factor for disturbances in fracture healing. The following risk
factors were considered: diabetes mellitus, corticosteroid therapy, smoking, advanced lower extremity
vascular disease, and alcohol dependence. Sample size in our study was of 32 out of 35 cases has united,
about 91% success rate. The average duration of nonunion was about 14.5 months, average union time
(fixator removal) is about 6.2 months. Two of our patient were showing poor tolerance to Ilizarov
external fixator changed to other modality.