OBJECTIVE: To verify the effectiveness of treating the infected pseudoarthrosis of the tibia by Ilizarov's method using the technique of acute compression of the focus of pseudoarthrosis with later bone distraction. METHODS: 20 adult patients with unilateral infected pseudoarthrosis of the tibia treated from November 1993 to September 2000 were studied. In the postoperative period, the patients were evaluated for pain, orthesis requirement, joint mobility, return to daily life activities and/or to work, union of the pseudoarthrosis, cure of the infection, presence of bone deformities, discrepancy in limb length, and bone union in the bone regenerate area. RESULTS: Functional results were: excellent in 10 patients (50%), good in eight (40%), regular in one (5%), and poor in one patient (5%). The time to achieve union of the pseudoarthrosis of the distracted bone segment and the time of use of the fixator were proportional to the extension of bone loss. CONCLUSION: Ilizarov's method associated to acute compression followed by bone distraction showed to be effective to treat infected pseudoarthrosis of the tibia.
Pseudarthrosis; Ilizarov technique; External fixators; Osteomyelitis; Tibia
