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  • Title: [Infection following centro-medullary nailing of diaphyseal femoral and tibial fractures].
    Author: Lortat-Jacob A, Sutour JM, Beaufils P.
    Journal: Rev Chir Orthop Reparatrice Appar Mot; 1986; 72(7):485-94. PubMed ID: 3823510.
    Abstract:
    The authors have treated 51 cases of infection arising after intramedullary nailing of the femur or tibia. In 3 cases amputation was required, 48 united, but 10 were still draining. The final result was obtained after an average of 15 months. An average of four procedures per patient were needed. All the cases were septic non-unions at the onset of treatment, except 18 cases which had already united. In these cases, simple removal of the femoral nail led to rapid healing. In contrast, healing was less easy to obtain in the tibia. In 33 septic non-unions, 12 femoral and 21 tibial, the best results at the femoral level were obtained by retaining the nail in situ. At the tibial level, retention of the nail was rarely followed by bony union. Removal of the nail and the use of external fixation gave good results for the infection, but rarely resulted in bony union (1 case out of 14). The failures were treated by further operation of bone resection and grafting. The authors recommend, in cases of tibial septic non-union after nailing that primary removal of the nail should be associated with bony resection and external fixation, followed by reconstructive grafting, either by open cancellous grafting extending to the fibula or conventional tibio fibular grafting. In 8 cases, 7 in the femur and 1 in the tibia, the infection extended throughout the entire diaphysis and in 3 of these cases, a large diaphyseal resection was required.
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