Although non-unions being one of the most common complication after long-bone fracture fixation, the definition of this entity remains controversial and varies widely among authors. A clear definition is crucial, not only for the evaluation of published research data but also for the establishment of uniform treatment concepts. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the definitions and different criteria used in the scientific literature to describe non-unions after long bone fractures. A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase. according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Prospective therapeutic and diagnostic clinical studies in which adult long-bone fracture non-unions were investigated as main subject were included in this analysis.Aim
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