Early Post-Traumatic Van Nes Rotationplasty After an Open Femur Fracture With a Necrotizing Soft-Tissue Infection: A Case Report.

CASE: A 26-year-old man presented after an automobile versus pedestrian accident with a Type IIIA open femur fracture complicated by a necrotizing soft-tissue infection (NSTI) with significant bone loss. Multiple limb-preserving operations failed, including the placement of a plate-assisted, motorized lengthening intramedullary nail with a chimeric free flap. We describe the patient's successful definitive treatment with a Van Nes rotationplasty (VNR). The patient currently ambulates independently with a prosthesis and is without recurrent infection after 3 years of follow-up.

CONCLUSION

VNR is a potential strategy to avoid transfemoral amputation or hip disarticulation in open femur fractures complicated by NSTI.