Short-term Outcomes of Induced Membrane Technique in Treatment of Long Bone Defects in Iran

INTRODUCTION: Severe defects in long bones can be caused by several factors such as trauma that lead to open wound and secondary infections after surgery. Induced membrane technique is one of the therapeutic strategies that can be used for these patients. Due to importance of this method and lack of information about this technique in Iran. AIM: this study was performed to investigate technical strengths and weakness of induced membrane technique. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This case series study conducted on 21 patients with bone defects in the femur and tibia and metatarsal bones referred to orthopedic clinic of Rasoul Akram Hospital, Tehran, Iran, for induced membrane surgery in 2012-2015. Demographic and clinical data were obtained using history, clinical examinations and observations for each patient. Union achievement was the main outcome of this study, which was confirmed by radiographic findings and physical examination. Obtained data was analyzed by SPSS ver. 16. RESULTS: All patients were male except one and their mean age was 30.52 years old. Bone defects were in tibia, femur and metatarsus in 9, 9 and 3 patients, respectively. Three patients received soft tissue reconstruction with flap before induced membrane surgery. Age, defects size, cigarette addiction and drug use and delay to start the treatment had no significant effect on union status. In total, 90% of patients had successful surgery. CONCLUSION: using induced membrane technique in patients with defects in their long bone such as tibia, femur and metatarsus would lead to high success for reconstruction.