CHRONIC INFECTED TIBIAL NONUNIONS WITH BONE LOSS - CONVENTIONAL TECHNIQUES VERSUS BONE TRANSPORT

Twenty-five patients with infected nonunions of the tibia and segmenta l bone loss were treated by one of two methods: resection and bone tra nsport, or conventional treatment using less extensive debridement, ex ternal fixation, bone grafting, and soft-tissue coverage. The two grou ps were comparable except for gender distribution. Each group experien ced similar rates of healing; eradication of infection; treatment time ; final angulation; number of complications; and total number of surgi cal procedures. However, the final limb-length discrepancy was signifi cantly less in the bone transport group.