Abstract
Objective
To investigate the outcomes of patients following the chipping procedures as an alternative to bone grafting in treatment of femoral non-unions.
Design
Retrospective evaluation of prospectively collected data.
Setting
University hospital. Level IV, therapeutic case series.
Patients
Eleven patients with femoral non-union were included. The median age of patients was 37 years (range, 19–73 years). The median follow-up was 24 months (range, 12–60 months).
Intervention
Non-unions were treated by the chipping procedure and re-install of an intramedullary nail or locked plate(s).
Main Outcome Measurements
Radiographic bone union, walking ability, and complication were evaluated.
Results
All non-unions clinically and radiographically healed with a median time of 7.5 months (range, 6–12 months). All patients were able to walk without walking aids within 9 months after surgery. Pre-existing deformities (e.g., varus and mal-external rotation) were anatomically corrected after the revision surgery for non-union. There were no superficial or deep infections, but post-operative temporal anemia and swelling of the thigh were common complications after surgery.
Conclusions
Chipping the non-union site was likely to enhance fracture healing, and this technique was useful as an alternative to bone grafting in treatment of femoral non-union, especially for both atrophic and hypertrophic non-unions with deformities.
