title: Infected nonunion of tibia and femur treated by bone transport.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment of infected nonunion of tibia and femur by bone transport.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 110 patients with infected nonunion of tibia and femur treated by bone transport. Our study included 92 males and 18 females with a mean age of 38.90 years. The site of infected nonunion involved 72 tibias and 38 femurs. The mean length of the bone defects after radical debridement was 6.15 cm (range 3-13 cm).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean follow-up after removal of the apparatus was 23.12 months (14-46 months). Ten patients including seven patients with infected tibia nonunion and three patients with infected femur nonunion were lost to follow-up. All the patients achieved bone union, and no recurrence of infection was observed. The time of bone transport took a mean of 67.50 days (range 33 to 137 days), and the mean external fixation index was 1.48 months/cm (range 1.15-1.71 months/cm). According to Association for the Study and Application of the Method of Ilizarov (ASAMI) classification, bone results were excellent in 68, good in 28, fair in 12, and poor in 2; functional results were excellent in 37, good in 42, fair in 21, and no poor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study and the current evidence suggested that Ilizarov methods in the treatment of infected nonunion of tibia and femur acquired satisfied results. Radical debridement is the key step to control bone infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxin Road, Beijing, 100853, P.R. China. yinpeng3904@126.com.|Medical College, Nankai University, No. 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, P.R. China. yinpeng3904@126.com.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxin Road, Beijing, 100853, P.R. China. zhanglihai74@126.com.
authors.forename: Lihai
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxin Road, Beijing, 100853, P.R. China. 707353114@qq.com.|Medical College, Nankai University, No. 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, P.R. China. 707353114@qq.com.
authors.forename: Tongtong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxin Road, Beijing, 100853, P.R. China. 476902710@qq.com.
authors.forename: Licheng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxin Road, Beijing, 100853, P.R. China. 601304772@qq.com.
authors.forename: Guoqi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxin Road, Beijing, 100853, P.R. China. 1054229807@qq.com.
authors.forename: Jiantao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxin Road, Beijing, 100853, P.R. China. jianhengliu@126.com.
authors.forename: Jianheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxin Road, Beijing, 100853, P.R. China. wind_027@163.com.
authors.forename: Jianfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxin Road, Beijing, 100853, P.R. China. zhangqun301@sina.com.
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxin Road, Beijing, 100853, P.R. China. pftang301@sina.cn.
authors.forename: Peifu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001850:Bone Diseases, Infectious / Q000382:microbiology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D018889:Ilizarov Technique / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult