Effect of autogenous bone marrow injection on long bone nonunion fractures

Abstract

Purpose: The impact on bone union of injecting bone marrow from the anterior iliac crest was examined in patients with non-unions. Materials and Methods: The present study was prepared following a retrospective study on non-union patients who applied to our clinics who accepted bone marrow injection and were followed up and monitored after the procedure. A total of 14 bones from 13 patients with long bone diaphysis and metaphysis non-union were included in the study from among patients who applied during the dates of November 2016 – December 2019. Bone marrow aspiration from the anterior iliac crest was conducted on the patients under anesthesia which was injected to the fracture line under local anesthesia and fluoroscopy. All patients were monitored on a monthly basis with front-rear and side radiography. The injection operation was conducted three times on seven patients and 2 times on a total of seven non-unions in 6 patients. Results: A total of 11 unions took place in 14 patients. A union could not be attained in three fractures. The gap was over 2 mm in fractures without union. Fracture union ratio was obtained as 79 %. The mean injection number applied on the patients was 2.5. A statistically significant correlation could not be identified between the fixation method and non-union type and union. Conclusion: Bone marrow injection is a cheap, effective, easy to use and safe surgical method for the treatment of long bone fractures with non-union.

Keywords

• bone marrow
• non-union treatment
• out-patient surgery
• long bone
• bone union
• kemik iliği
• kaynamama tedavisi
• günübirlik cerrahi
• uzun kemik
• kemik kaynaması