Retrograde Intramedullary Nail With Femoral Head Allograft for Large Deficit Tibiotalocalcaneal Arthrodesis.
BACKGROUND
Large bone defects present a difficult task for surgeons when performing single-stage, complex combined hindfoot and ankle reconstruction. There exist little data in a case series format to evaluate the use of frozen femoral head allograft during tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis in various populations in the literature.


METHODS
The authors evaluated 25 patients from 2003 to 2011 who required a femoral head allograft and an intramedullary nail. The average time of final follow-up visit was 83 ± 63.6 weeks (range, 10-265).


RESULTS
Twelve patients healed the fusion (48%). Twenty-one patients resulted in a braceable limb (84%). Four patients resulted in major amputation (16%).


CONCLUSIONS
This series may allow surgeons to more accurately predict the success and clinical outcome of these challenging cases.


METHODS
Level IV, case series.
Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center, Westerville, OH, USA.
Bradly
B
Bussewitz
Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center, Westerville, OH, USA.
J George
JG
DeVries
Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center, Westerville, OH, USA.
Michael
M
Dujela
Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center, Westerville, OH, USA.
Jeffrey E
JE
McAlister
Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center, Westerville, OH, USA ofacresearch@orthofootankle.com.
Christopher F
CF
Hyer
Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center, Westerville, OH, USA.
Gregory C
GC
Berlet
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D064591:Allografts; D001174:Arthrodesis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001858:Bone Nails; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005270:Femur Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013380:Subtalar Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
TTC; allograft; limb length; salvage; tibiocalcaneal