ArticleEuropean journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie2026
The course of treatment in nonunions of long bones: can we predict when exchange nailing may fail?
Article in European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
purposeExchange nailing is often used to treat femoral and tibial nonunions. Its success rate varies with reports of 50-100% success. We sought to determine the trajectory of healing and identify factors associated with the failure of exchange nailing in the treatment of nonunion.
methodsThis was a retrospective chart review at two level I trauma centers. Patients with aseptic femoral and tibial nonunions treated with exchange nailing were included. The primary outcome was union prior to or at 1 year following treatment. Treatment failure was defined as lack of union (defined as lack of bridging bone on 3 or more cortices) at 1 year or an additional procedure to promote union.
results138 patients with aseptic nonunion of tibia or femur fractures initially treated with intramedullary nailing were identified. 77% of patients went on to successful union within 1 year after exchange nailing. The overall union rate was 9.6% at 6 weeks, 36.2% at 3 months, and 67% at 6 months. In femurs, less than 100% cortical contact, diabetes mellitus, and use of bone graft was associated with failure of exchange nailing. On multivariate analysis, only less than 100% cortical contact was associated with an increased risk of failure. No predictors were identified in the tibia. Rates of union were comparable between nonunion at diaphyseal and non-diaphyseal fracture sites, regardless of morphological type.
conclusionExchange nailing is a valuable treatment option and may be considered for aseptic nonunions of long bones. Surgeons should consider avoiding this technique when treating femoral nonunions which have less than 100% cortical contact.
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