A series of forty-four consecutive tibial diaphyseal fractures with
non-unions were treated over a thirteen-year period (1965 to 1978). The
majority of these injuries were complicated by severe soft-tissue damage,
segmental bone loss, or infection, and multiple previous operative attempts
had been made to obtain union. Cortical cancellous bone grafts were
inserted posterolaterally and union was obtained in all but one fracture.
Two bone-grafting procedures each were needed in three patients. Good to
excellent functional results were obtained in forty-three of the forty-four
involved extremities.