title: Percutaneous treatment of long bone nonunions: the use of autologous bone marrow and allograft bone matrix.
abstract: Sixty-six patients with 69 "stiff" nonunions (no gross motion) of long bones were entered into a prospective study. The only therapeutic intervention was the percutaneous administration of a mixture of autologous bone marrow and allograft demineralized bone matrix on an outpatient basis. Sixty-one of the percutaneous treatments (88%) resulted in union at an average of 8.1 months (range: 2 months to 3 years). This method of treating nonunions is as successful as standard iliac crest autologous bone grafting and offers the distinct advantages of decreased morbidity, reduced costs, and shorter hospital stay.
authors.affiliation: Denver Orthopedic Specialists, PC, Institute for Limb Preservation, Denver, Colo, USA.
authors.forename: Ross M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wilkins
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Chimenti
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rifkin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D001857:Bone Matrix / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome