Management of open femur fractures with massive bone loss using two-stage vascularized fibula grafting and synthetic calcium sulfate: A report of two cases.

Type III Gustilo-Anderson fractures with massive bone loss present significant treatment challenges due to the extensive bony and soft tissue damage they entail. Poor management can lead to complications such as osteomyelitis, non-union, limb length discrepancies, or even amputation. We present two cases of 52- and 56-year-old adults who had complex intra-articular distal femur open fractures with massive bone loss of 21 cm and 18 cm, respectively, successfully managed using synthetic calcium sulfate beads and vascularized fibula grafting. The use of calcium sulfate offers several advantages over polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) beads, including more effective antibiotic delivery, greater osteogenicity, and reduced systemic toxicity of antibiotics. We recommend the use of calcium sulfate over PMMA in managing complex cases with bone defects.