Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
This is a descriptive study to evaluate the outcome of forty patients with bone loss in tibia using conventional (mostly monoaxial) external fixation device, based on principles of distractive osteogenesis.
OBJECTIVE:
To prove the effectiveness of conventional external fixation device in distraction osteogenesis in tibia successfully and simply.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
Forty patients with bone loss of 4 to 10.5 centimeters in tibia between March 2003 and March 2011 were treated, ages (15-65years), 6:34 female to male ratio .In 30 patients site of bone loss was in the lower third of tibia while in 4 patients was in the middle third of tibia and in the remaining 6 patients it was the upper third of tibia. The cause of defects in tibia was fracture due to road traffic accident (20cases), bullet injury to leg (8cases), gap nonunion (8) and infected non unions (4 cases) respectively. Conventional external fixation device were used in all cases using the principles of z-osteotomy and results were evaluated according to Association for Study and Application of Ilizarov Method (A.S.A.M.I.) scoring system.
RESULTS:
According to ASAMI scoring system, functional results were achieved as excellent in 20 patients (50%), good in 10 (25%), fair in 8 (20%) and poor as 2 (5%) without failure. while bone results achieved excellent 18 (45%), good 14(35%), fair 6 (15%), poor 2(5%) without failure and bone loss in upper tibia has more chance and excellent result than in lower part.
CONCLUSION:
Conventional external fixation devices can be used to achieve distraction ontogenesis in tibia bone defects successfully, as it is cheap, safe and simple assembly.