Forearm fractures in children complicated with non-union are uncommon. Various methods have previously been reported to manage this condition. Well documented techniques would include iliac crest grafting, cancellous insert grafting, ulnar segment grafting, cortical tibial grafting, vascularized fibular grafting and bone transport by ring fixation. The authors present a case of a child with an atrophic non-union of the ulna who was successfully treated with a cortico-cancellous tibial strut bone graft.
Treatment of radius or ulna nonunion requires both osteogenic environment and mechanical stability. We would like to report three radial and six ulnar diaphyseal nonunions treated with 3.5 mm locking compression plate (LCP) fixation. To assess the effectiveness of 3.5 mm LCP in treating diaphyseal nonunion of the forearm bones, we prospectively reviewed nine patients with the mean age of 33 years with diaphyseal nonunion of the radius or ulna. All patients were treated with 3.5 mm LCP. Bone grafting was only performed for atrophic nonunion. Surgical and functional outcome were evaluated. There were three atrophic nonunion of the radius, four atrophic nonunion of the ulna and two hypertrophic nonunion of the ulna. All nonunion united successfully with satisfactory functional outcome. 3.5 mm LCP is effective in the treatment of nonunion of ulna or radius.