Reconstruction of the humerus with an intramedullary fibular graft. A clinical and biomechanical study.
Nine patients with nonunited humeral shaft fractures were treated by open reduction and internal fixation with an intramedullary fibular bone graft and a compression plate. Fixation of the screws was enhanced by passing them through the fibula as well as the two humeral cortices (quadricortical fixation). Eight of the nine fractures united at an average of 3.5 months. Tests on cadaver bones showed that quadricortical fixation was as strong as methylmethacrylate augmentation and significantly better than bicortical fixation.
Department of Orthopaedics, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610.
T W
TW
Wright
G J
GJ
Miller
R A
RA
Vander Griend
D
D
Wheeler
P C
PC
Dell
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001860:Bone Plates; D005260:Female; D005360:Fibula / Q000637:transplantation*; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular