Reconstruction of skeletal defects in the femur with 'two-strut' free vascularized fibular grafts.

Large skeletal defects of the femur caused by infected nonunions remain a challenge to orthopedic surgeons. Conventional bone grafting may not succeed when the recipient bed is not ideal. Single fibular grafts were proven very useful in bridging this type of defect, yet were complicated by the high incidence of refracture and the need for protection of long duration. By dividing the fibula into two struts connected by the nutrient vessels, we doubled the effective cross-sectional area of bone grafting with only one set of vascular anastomoses. Five cases of infected nonunion of the femur after a high-energy trauma were successfully managed with this technique. All the fractures healed in an average of 7 months. By 1 year the grafts hypertrophied to the size of the femur. A follow-up of at least 2 years recommends this technique in the management of certain chronic osseous defects of the femur.