Substitution of bone defects and pseudoarthroses of upper limbs with vascularized autografts

From 1979 to 1998 at the Department of Microsurgery and Hand Injury (CITO) 68 patients, aged 6-52, with pseudoarthroses of the humerus (31 patients), forearm (34 patients) and capral bones (3 patients) were operated on. Forty-six patients had bone defects following injury and its complications. In 18 patients bone defects were due to bone tumors and in 4 - congenital deformity. Plasty with vascularized osseous (54 cases), dermal-osseous (11 cases) and muscular-osseous (3 cases) autografts was performed to substitute the bone defects. Good and satisfactory results were achieved in 63 out of 68 cases. In 4 patients unsatisfactory outcomes resulted from thrombosis of microvascular anastomoses. Conclusion is given that compared to routine treatment method the substitution of bone defects of upper limbs with vascularized autograft at least 2-3 times reduces the rehabilitation terms.