title: Non-union in osteogenesis imperfecta.
abstract: A retrospective study of 44 patients with osteogenesis imperfecta treated over a 14-year period was undertaken to determine the frequency and pattern of non-unions of long bones in these patients. Nine non-unions were encountered in eight patients. Four of these non-unions developed at sites of osteotomies performed at the time of intramedullary rodding. These children have remained asymptomatic, however, without appreciable limitations in spite of the non-union. Five atrophic or gap non-unions that occurred in the humerus were following inadequately treated fractures. These children were disabled on account of the non-unions. In three patients all attempts at obtaining union failed. The other two patients were braced. We conclude that non-union in osteogenesis imperfecta is not a very rare phenomenon. We also recommend that all fractures in children with osteogenesis imperfecta must be treated with appropriate immobilization to prevent a gap non-union developing, since gap non-unions are exceedingly difficult to treat.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Orthopaedic Service, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Vineet
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Joseph
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D008297:Male; D010013:Osteogenesis Imperfecta / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D010027:Osteotomy; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies