Infected nonunion of the humerus.

Eight patients with infected nonunion of the humerus were treated surgically by removal of the instrumentation, surgical debridement or wide resection of the fracture site and stabilization in compression with an external fixator. A monoaxial external fixator was used in 5 patients, a circular external one in 3. The amount of time between trauma and treatment described was a mean of 13 months. Consolidation occurred in all of the patients after an average of 5.5 months. Long-term follow-up was obtained after a mean of 18 months (minimum 14, maximum 35). There was postoperative paralysis of the radial nerve in 2 of the cases, with complete recovery after 3 months. One case consolidated despite the persistence of a fistula.