# Exploring the Efficacy of the Ilizarov Method for Infected Femoral Non-unions in Pediatric and Adult Populations

## TL;DR

This study shows the Ilizarov method is effective for treating infected femoral non-unions in both children and adults, with better and faster results in children.

## Contribution

The study provides empirical evidence comparing the efficacy of the Ilizarov method in pediatric and adult patients with infected femoral non-unions.

## Key findings

- 80% of pediatric patients and 85.06% of adults achieved bone union using the Ilizarov method.
- Pediatric patients had a shorter mean time to bone union (6 months) compared to adults (7 months).
- Complication rates were lower in pediatric patients (15%) than in adults (22.41%).

## Abstract

Background: Both pediatric and adult populations have considerable issues due to infected femoral non-unions, which may complicate healing and negatively influence quality of life.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the Ilizarov method in treating infected femoral non-unions in pediatric and adult populations, focusing on functional outcomes, complication rates, and infection control.

Methodology: A prospective observational study was conducted over one year, from January 2023 to December 2023. Patients who had the Ilizarov method and had been diagnosed with infected femoral non-unions ranged in age from five to 60. Demographic information, clinical presentations, surgical techniques, and postoperative results were gathered. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27.0 (Released 2020; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States) was used to analyze the data. The results of pediatric and adult patients were compared using the t-test. P-values less than 0.05 were regarded as statistically significant.

Results: A total of 274 patients were included in the study, with 100 patients in the pediatric group (36.5%) and 174 patients in the adult group (63.5%). The mean age of the pediatric group was 12.60±3.20 years, while the mean age of the adult group was 36.50±12.90 years. According to the Association for the Study and Application of the Method of Ilizarov (ASAMI) criteria, excellent outcomes were observed in 60% (60 patients) of the pediatric group and 58.62% (102 patients) of the adult group. Radiological evaluations revealed that bone union was achieved in 80% (80 patients) of pediatric cases and 85.06% (148 patients) of adult cases. The mean time to bone union was shorter in the pediatric group, at 6.00±1.10 months, compared to 7.00±1.20 months in the adult group. Additionally, complications occurred in 15% (15 patients) of the pediatric group and 22.41% (39 patients) of the adult group.

Conclusion: The Ilizarov method is an effective treatment for infected femoral non-unions in both age groups, with pediatric patients exhibiting faster recovery and better outcomes.