Abstract
One hundred and thirty-eight patients from South Africa were part of an international study aimed to determine whether the rate of healing of compound tibial fractures treated with intramedullary nails improved with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2). There were 118 men and 20 women, with a mean age of 33.3 years. According to the Gustilo-Anderson classification, there were 32 type-I, 50 type-II, 38 type-IIA and 18 type-IIIB fractures.
Patients were randomised to one of three groups: the standard care (SC) group, in which 47 patients were treated with intramedullary nail fixation and soft-tissue management, the group treated with SC and 0.75 mg/ml of rhBMP-2, which comprised 50 patients, and the group treated with SC and 1.50 mg/ml of rhBMP-2, which comprised 40 patients.
At 20 and 26 weeks, there was a significant difference (p < 0.027) in the rate of fracture healing in the three groups. At one year follow-up union was achieved in 30 patients (63.8%) in the SC group and in 27 patients (54%) and 30 patients (73.2%) in the two rhBMP-2 groups respectively. All patients with type-IIIB fractures developed nonunion in the SC group, but 56% in the 0.75-mg/ml rhBMP-2 group and 50% in the 1.5-mg/ml rhBMP-2 group achieved union.
Secondary intervention and medical costs were reduced in patients treated with rhBMP-2.
The abstracts were prepared by Professor M. B. E. Sweet. Correspondence should be addressed to him at PO Box 47363, Parklands, Johannesburg 2121, South Africa.
