The Fate of Patients After a Staged Nonunion Procedure for Known Infection

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the factors associated with successful union and eradication of infection in the setting of staged procedures to treat obviously infected nonunions of long bones. We hypothesize that patients with positive intraoperative cultures obtained at the time of definitive surgery for infected nonunions are more likely to have persistent nonunion than those with negative cultures.

Design: Multicenter retrospective review.

Setting: Eight academic Level 1 trauma centers.

Patients/participants: Patients who underwent staged management for obviously infected nonunion of a long bone.

Main outcome measurements: For each patient, initial fracture management, management of retained implants, number of debridements, grafting, bacteriology, antibiotic course, bone defect management, soft-tissue coverage, and definitive surgery performed were reviewed.

Results: A total of 134 patients were treated with staged procedures for obviously infected nonunion of a long bone (mean age 49 years, 60% open fractures, and mean follow-up 22 months). During definitive procedures, 120 patients had intraoperative cultures taken with 43% having positive cultures. For culture-positive patients, 41 patients achieved eventual union and 10 had persistent nonunion. Of 69 culture-negative patients, 66 achieved eventual union and 3 had persistent nonunion. The number of patients with union versus persistent nonunion was statistically significant between culture-positive and culture-negative groups (P = 0.015).

Conclusions: Management of infected nonunion in long bones with staged treatments before definitive fixation are beneficial but ultimately less effective when performed in the setting of positive bacterial cultures at the time of definitive management.

Level of evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.