Bifocal or Trifocal (Double‐Level) Bone Transport Using Unilateral Rail System in the Treatment of Large Tibial Defects Caused by Infection: A Retrospective Study

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the clinical results of bifocal or trifocal bone transport using unilateral rail system in the treatment of large tibial defects caused by infection. METHODS: There were a total of 37 eligible patients with an average age of 40.11 ± 10.32 years (range, 18–57 years; 28 males and nine females) with large tibial defects due to infection who were admitted to our hospital from June 2006 to June 2016. Among the patients, 21 underwent bifocal bone transport (BF group), and the remaining 16 were treated with trifocal bone transport (TF group). The demographic data (age, sex, interval duration before bone transport, previous operation time), intraoperative outcomes (size and location of the defect, size of soft tissue defect), postoperative variables (lengthening speed, external fixation index, duration of regenerate consolidation and docking union), postoperative bone and functional outcomes evaluated by Association for the Study and Application of the Method of Ilizarov (ASAMI) scoring system, and postoperative complications evaluated by Paley classification (muscle contraction, axial deviation, delayed consolidation, pin problems, repeated fracture, joint stiffness and others) of the two groups were recorded and compared at a minimum follow‐up of 24 months. RESULTS: The mean duration of follow‐up after removal of fixator was 29.49 ± 4.34 months (range, 24–38 months). There was no statistically significant difference in the demographic data, intraoperative outcomes including size and location of the defect, size of soft tissue defect, as well as postoperative complications. However, postoperative functional result in the TF group were superior to those in the BF group at a minimum follow‐up of 24 months, and lengthening speed, external fixation index (EFI), duration of regenerate consolidation and docking union were significantly reduced in the TF group when compared with the BF group. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of large tibial defects caused by infection with trifocal bone transport using unilateral rail system could significantly improve postoperative functional recovery and reduce duration of regenerate consolidation and docking union. The present study provides novel insight for the treatment of large tibial defects caused by infection.