title: The use of the Ilizarov method as a salvage procedure in infected nonunion of the distal femur with bone loss.
abstract: We reviewed 13 patients with infected nonunion of the distal femur and bone loss, who had been treated by radical surgical debridement and the application of an Ilizarov external fixator. All had severely restricted movement of the knee and a mean of 3.1 previous operations. The mean length of the bony defect was 8.3 cm and no patient was able to bear weight. The mean external fixation time was 309.8 days. According to Paley's grading system, eight patients had an excellent clinical and radiological result and seven excellent and good functional results. Bony union, the ability to bear weight fully, and resolution of the infection were achieved in all the patients. The external fixation time was increased when the definitive treatment started six months or more after the initial trauma, the patient had been subjected to more than four previous operations and the initial operation had been open reduction and internal fixation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics University of Patras, Rio Patras 26504, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saridis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Panagiotopoulos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tyllianakis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matzaroglou
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vandoros
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lambiris
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D001850:Bone Diseases, Infectious / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D018889:Ilizarov Technique; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology