Injury
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The mandatory stimulus that can optimise the healing pathway can be electrical, mechanical, biological, or a combination of all these parameters. A variety of means has been utilised for biological enhancement, including extracorporeal shock wave, electrical, ultrasound stimulation, the reaming technique of IM nailing, bone graft substitutes, osteogenic cells and bioactive molecules produced by tissue engineering techniques. The aim of this study is to present a review of the existing evidence for the efficacy of reaming, autologous bone grafting and the commercially available growth factors (BMP-2 and BMP-7) for the treatment of aseptic tibial non-unions. ⋯ Intramedullary reamed nailing, either used as an alternative fixation method or as an exchange to a wider implant, offers the unique biomechanical advantages of an intramedullary device, together with the osteoinductive stimulus of the by-products of reaming, and the aptitude for early weight-bearing and active rehabilitation. The safety of administration of the commercial distributed growth factors (BMP-2 and BMP-7), combined with the lack of the morbidity and the quantity restrictions that characterise autologous bone grafts, have given to this family of molecules a principal role between the other bone graft substitutes. On average the union rates reported in the 20 manuscripts that have been evaluated range from 58.3% to 100%, and the average time to union from 12.5 weeks to 48.4 weeks, indicating the significant discrepancies in the reported evidence and the multiplicity of different treatment strategies.
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Successful operative treatment of a humeral shaft non-union may be a challenge for the surgeon. Several treatment options have been reported over the years. ⋯ Despite an obvious superiority of plating in the treatment of humeral shaft non-unions, there is no doubt that intramedullary nailing as well as external fixation devices have a role. An algorithm of management of the humeral shaft non-unions following a rational approach is suggested.
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A review of the existing evidence on economic costs of treatment of long-bone fracture non-unions has retrieved 9 papers. Mostly the tibial shaft non-unions have been utilised as models for these economic analyses. ⋯ The existing scientific evidence can only imply the extent of the economic burden of long-bone non-unions. Further systematic studies are needed to assess the direct medical, direct non-medical, indirect, and monetised quality of life and psychosocial costs of non-unions.
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Femoral non-unions represent a formidable challenge for the orthopaedic surgeon. Their successful treatment is frequently time consuming, and requires utilisation of numerous resources. Three main methods of treatment have been described: intramedullary nailing (IMN), plating and external fixation. ⋯ The gold standard remains exchange nailing despite the fact that plating has reached near equivocal rates of success. In cases where exchange nailing fails, the use of plates and external fixators has been shown to provide useful adjuncts to the nail. Most surgeons have preserved bone grafting as an option at a secondary or tertiary stage, after the initial revision procedure has failed.