• Arndt P Schulz, Maximilian Faschingbauer, Klaus Seide, Uwe Schuemann, Martin Mayer, Christian Jürgens, and Michael Wenzl.
• BG Trauma Hospital Hamburg, Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Hamburg, Germany. aps77@web.de.
• Eur J Trauma Emerg S. 2009 Apr 1;35(2):127-31.

ObjectiveTo analyse the results of the treatment of aseptic femoral non-unions using a singular locked implant.DesignConsecutive case series.SettingA level-1 trauma center with a high number of specialist referrals.PatientsThe study is based on a consecutive series of patients with prospective data evaluation. From 1993 to 2003, 75 patients were treated with a wave plate. All patients had persistent non-union of the femoral shaft without clinical or laboratory signs of infection and previous unsuccessful attempts to treat the non-union.InterventionThe method of treatment was standardized and included a lateral approach, cancellous bone hip grafting, osteosynthesis with a wave-shaped plate (PPF) and polyaxial locking screws as well as the application of a gentamicin-PMMA chain.Main Outcome MeasurementsTime to achieve union, rate of implant failure and number of remaining nonunions after treatment. A total of 75 patients had full follow-up and were included in the study.ResultsThe union of the fracture was found in 64 patients after the initial procedure. In eight cases a second procedure was performed to achieve union in the form of a second bone graft because of a delay in callus formation. The mean time to union was 7.3 months with a range from 3 to 19 months. The implant failed in three cases accounting for 4% of the total.ConclusionThe locked wave plate offers a further reliable treatment for complex aseptic femoral non-unions.

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