This study was conducted to evaluate the results of intramedullary nail fixation with autogenous iliac bone graft for defects of bone after tibial fractures.

Ten patients with bone defects in tibial fractures who had been treated with intramedullary nail fixation with autogenous iliac bone graft between May 2005 and September 2008 with more than 12 month follow-up were subject to study. Of the 10 patients, 8 were male and 2 were female, and the mean age was 50.2 years (29~76 years). By cause of accident, motor vehicle accidents caused 9 cases, a crush caused 1 case, and the average follow-up period was 21.9 months (12~42 months). Radiologically, we analyzed the union of the bone defect on simple x-ray and clinical evaluation was performed using the estimate method of Mekhali.

This study reveals that there was radiological union in all 10 cases and the mean time to union was 8.4 months (5~18 months). By clinical evaluation according to Mekhali's estimate method, 9 patients had excellent outcomes and 1 patient had limitation of motion in the ankle joint rated as a fair clinical result. None of patients developed complications post-operatively.

Our study demonstrated that the intramedullary nail fixation with autogenous iliac bone graft can be a useful operative method because it can remove external fixators early and reduce complications, and autogenous bones have exceptional osteoconduction, osteoinduction, and bone-forming ability resulting in excellent union of bones.