Abstract
Aims: To quantify the complication rate in Ilizarov surgery at an experienced Limb reconstruction Unit. Study Design: A retrospective study of prospectively collected data on complications. Material: Complications in 304 patients, treated between January 1998 and April 2001 were reviewed. Complications relating to the pin site, bones, joints, neurovascular structures, pain, mental status and mechanical failure of the frame were documented. Results: There were 103 complications (34%) in total. Twenty patients (6.6%) required IV antibiotics or curettage of a ring sequestrum. Forty- three (14%) experienced problems with non or delayed union, mal union, incomplete osteotomy, premature consolidation of regenerate or fracture through a pin site. Twelve (4%) developed neural problems in the form of nerve pain or permanent nerve damage. Twenty-one (6.9%) developed loss of joint motion sufþcient to stop distraction or as a permanent sequelae. One (0.3%) suffered from depression during treatment. Three (1%) required referral to a pain team. Despite re-useable hardware mechanical failure was represented by only 3 episodes (1%) of þne wire breakage. Conclusions: Analysis revealed no signiþcant difference between the calendar years and so represents a true complication rate. There was a signiþcant difference in the complication rate for frames applied for acute trauma, late trauma and elective surgery. The difference did not relate to time spent in the frame and seems to represent a separate variable. There was a disproportionate increase in complications for frames applied for upper limb pathology.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Dr. Frantz Langlais. Correspondence should be addressed to him at EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
