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Novel treatment (new drug/intervention; established drug/procedure in new situation)
CASE REPORT
Novel use of a trabecular metal spacer in the treatment of a long-standing ulnar fracture non-union
  1. Oluwatobi O Onafowokan,
  2. Julian S H Gaskin,
  3. Rory G Middleton,
  4. Mark R Norton
  1. Orthopaedics Dept, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Truro, UK
  1. Correspondence to Mr Oluwatobi O Onafowokan, tonafowokan7{at}gmail.com

Summary

The use of trabecular metal (TM) implants in spine and joint surgery is well documented. However, their use has yet to be reported as an alternative to either allograft or autograft in the management of fracture non-unions. We present our experience in using a TM implant for treating a patient with a long-standing ulnar fracture non-union. Excision of devitalised bone resulted in a 17 mm defect which the TM implant was used to infill. The defect was then bridged with a locking plate. At 2-year clinical and radiographic review, bony union and a pain-free return to full function was noted. In this case, the use of a TM implant avoided the morbidity associated with an iliac crest autograft.

  • orthopaedics
  • orthopaedic and trauma surgery

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2017-222592

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors OOO and JSHG planned, drafted and modified the initial manuscript. RGM and MRN were the operating surgeons and were involved in revisions of the manuscript. All authors are accountable for the article submitted.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent Obtained.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.