Prognostic factors in nonunion of the tibia: an evaluation of 185 cases treated with constant direct current.

The present series represents a retrospective clinical study of 185 cases of nonunion of the tibia. The severity of the injury was important in the development of the nonunion. Primary closure of open injuries was noted to be dangerous and resulted in high incidence of infection, 27 of 37 cases. The distal third of the tibia was the most frequent site of the nonunion. One of the most striking findings in this study was a high incidence (92.4%) of patients presenting with initial delay to weight bearing of greater than 6 weeks. The authors feel that this is a definite contributory factor in the development of nonunion of the tibia.