title: Femoral locking plate failure salvaged with hexapod circular external fixation: a report of two cases.
abstract: Femoral non-unions are difficult to treat even for the experienced orthopaedic trauma surgeon. If the non-union follows failure of modern stable internal fixation, the complexity of the management is further increased. We report two cases of stiff hypertrophic femoral non-unions after failed locking plate fixation that were successfully treated with a new hexapod circular external fixator. In addition to providing the necessary stability for functional rehabilitation and union, the hexapod circular fixator software allows gradual correction of deformities in order to restore the normal mechanical alignment of the limb.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tygerberg Hospital, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa. nferreira@sun.ac.za.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Tumour, Sepsis and Reconstruction Unit, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Greys Hospital, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Marais
keywords: Circular external fixator; Hexapod; Locking plate; Non-union; Reconstruction