-transparent.png){kind=logo}
We used the Ilizarov circular external fixator to treat 16 patients with persistent nonunion of the diaphysis of the humerus despite surgical treatment. All patients had pain and severe functional impairment of the affected arm. In ten, nonunion followed intramedullary nailing. We successfully treated these by a closed technique. The nail was left in place and the fracture compressed over it. The fractures of the other six patients had previously been fixed by various methods. We explored these nonunions, removed the fixation devices and excised fibrous tissue and dead bone before stabilising with the Ilizarov fixator. In five patients union was achieved. Bone grafting was not required. In the single patient in whom treatment failed, there had been a severely comminuted open fracture. All except one patient had reduction of pain, and all reported an improvement in function.
V R Patel, and
D K Menon, and
R D Pool, and
R B Simonis
August 1998,
Clinical orthopaedics and related research,
V R Patel, and
D K Menon, and
R D Pool, and
R B Simonis
May 1995,
American journal of orthopedics (Belle Mead, N.J.),
V R Patel, and
D K Menon, and
R D Pool, and
R B Simonis
September 2011,
Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery,
V R Patel, and
D K Menon, and
R D Pool, and
R B Simonis
June 2021,
Injury,
V R Patel, and
D K Menon, and
R D Pool, and
R B Simonis
October 2007,
Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery,
V R Patel, and
D K Menon, and
R D Pool, and
R B Simonis
December 2009,
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore,
V R Patel, and
D K Menon, and
R D Pool, and
R B Simonis
September 2003,
Military medicine,
V R Patel, and
D K Menon, and
R D Pool, and
R B Simonis
May 2014,
Journal of children's orthopaedics,
V R Patel, and
D K Menon, and
R D Pool, and
R B Simonis
January 2005,
Acta orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica,
V R Patel, and
D K Menon, and
R D Pool, and
R B Simonis
July 2022,
BMC musculoskeletal disorders,
