Defect or nonunion of tibia fracture treated with medial femoral condylar bone flap and periost flap pedicled with retrograde saphenous artery and interlocking intramedullary nail

Objective To look for a new method to treat defects or nonunion of tibia fracture. Methods From March 2000 to June 2002, 9 patients with defect or nonunion of tibia fracture were treated with medial femoral condylar bone flap and periost flap pedicled with retrograde saphenous artery and intramedullary interlocking nail. In the primary treatment of the 9 cases, 5 of them were fixed by plate, 2 by external fixation, 2 by Ender nail. Results 7 cases were followed up for more than half a year, and all the cases healed up well. The functions of ankle joint and knee joint recovered well. Conclusion The method is characterized by reliable fixation, accelerated progress of healing up, early activity of ankle joint and knee joint, and easy handling, so it is an excellent way to treat nonunion of tibia fractures.