We report the use of a free vascularised iliac bone graft in the treatment of 21 patients (19 men and 2 women) with an avascular nonunion of the scaphoid in which conventional bone grafting had previously failed. The mean age of the patients was 32 years (23 to 46) and the dominant wrist was affected in 14. The mean interval from fracture to the vascularised bone grafting was 39 months (9 to 62). Pre-operative MRI showed no contrast enhancement in the proximal fragment in any patient. Fracture union was assessed radiologically or with CT scans if the radiological appearances were inconclusive. At a mean follow-up of 5.6 years (2 to 11) union was obtained in 16 patients. The remaining five patients with a persistent nonunion continued to experience pain, reduced grip strength and limited range of wrist movement. In the successfully treated patients the grip strength and range of movement did not recover to match the uninjured side. Prevention of progressive carpal collapse, the absence of donor site morbidity, good subjective results and pain relief, justifies this procedure in the treatment of recalcitrant nonunion of the scaphoid.
We describe the use of a vascularised periosteal patch onlay graft based on the 1,2 intercompartmental supraretinacular artery in the management of 11 patients (ten men, one woman) with chronic nonunion involving the proximal third of the scaphoid. The mean age of the patients was 31 years (21 to 45) with the dominant hand affected in eight. Six of the patients were smokers and three had undergone previous surgery to the scaphoid. All of the proximal fragments were avascular. The presence of union was assessed using longitudinal axis CT. Only three patients progressed to union of the scaphoid and four required a salvage operation for a symptomatic nonunion. The remaining four patients with a persistent nonunion are asymptomatic with low pain scores, good grip strength and a functional range of wrist movement. Although this technique has potential technical advantages over vascularised pedicled bone grafting, the rate of union has been disappointing and we do not recommend it as a method of treatment.
A vascularised bone-graft procedure from the base of the second metacarpal was performed in 14 patients with nonunion of the scaphoid. There were 11 men and three women with a mean age of 22 years. In eight patients, who had dorsiflexed intercalated segment instability (DISI), an open wedge was formed at the site of nonunion, and the vascular pedicle was grafted from the volar side. In the six patients without DISI, transplantation was carried out through the same dorsal skin incision. Complete bony union was obtained in all patients after a mean post-operative period of 10.2 weeks, and DISI was corrected in all affected patients. According to Cooney’s clinical scoring system, the results were excellent in five, good in six, and fair in three patients. Because of its technical simplicity and the limited dissection needed, the procedure should be considered for the primary surgical treatment of patients with nonunion of the scaphoid.
We describe our experience with vascularised bone grafting for the treatment of fibrous dysplasia of the upper limb in eight patients, five men and three women, aged between 17 and 36 years. The site was in the humerus in six and the radius in two. Persistent pain, progression of the lesion and pathological fracture with delayed union were the indications for surgical intervention. We used a vascularised fibular graft after curettage of the lesion. Function and radiological progress were serially monitored. Early radiological union of the graft occurred at periods ranging from 8 to 14 weeks. The mean period for reconstitution of the diameter of the bone was 14 months (12 to 18) predominantly through inductive formation of bone around the vascularised graft, which was a prominent feature in all patients. There were no recurrences and none of the grafts sustained a fracture or failed to unite. After operation function was excellent in three patients and good in five.
