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The management of infected nonunion with bone loss is always challenging. The Masquelet technique is an excellent option available for us today. However, there are few reports of its use in the paediatric age group and no reports of its use especially in infected distal radius fractures or nonunion. We report on two children with infection and significant bone loss after open fractures of the distal radius which we have treated successfully using a modified Masquelet technique.

This case report describes the management of a 27-year-old male who, after a quadbike accident, presented with an open, infected, segmental both bone forearm injury with significant bone and soft tissue loss including the radio-carpal joint. Limb salvage was accomplished in the form of a single bone forearm fusion utilising Masquelet's two-stage induced membrane technique to reconstruct the segmental bone defect. The patient proceeded to uneventful bony union by 6 months and returned to driving and riding a quadbike. Despite significant deep infection, successful salvage was achieved using the induced membrane technique. Critical to success was aggressive, repeated debridement alongside restoration of vascular supply and reconstruction of soft tissue defects. We highlight the multidisciplinary approach to management including relevant specialists with a particular interest in limb reconstruction.

Extruded talus is a rare injury pattern that occurs following a high velocity injury loading on a supinated and plantar flexed foot. Treatment for such rare presentation varies from talectomy to arthrodesis. Reimplantation than excision has been favoured in literature, but it carries its own subset of issues to tackle from avascular necrosis to infection. Masquelet technique has been a saviour for open injuries most of the time in tackling both bone defects and infections. We present a case of open ankle injury with talar extrusion and assosciated talar bone loss along with calcaneum fracture, treated by masquelet technique.

Thermal necrosis due to over-reaming or blunt reamer may have devastating consequences. We present one such case of humerus shaft fracture referred to us at two and half months after primary surgery with active signs of infection and sequestrated segment of the humerus. The challenges were not only to achieve union, control of infection, but also the 10 cm bone gap created after removal of sequestrated part of humerus and preservation of reasonable function of adjacent joints. Emergency drainage of thick purulent material was done on day one because the patient was in excessive pain, the abscess was likely to burst and she was unfit for major surgery due to her toxic clinical state abnormal blood parameters. We had managed this case successfully using Masquelet technique. Masquelet technique is an excellent option for bone gap reconstruction compared to other techniques. It helped us to achieve good functional outcomes and to manage large bone loss in infected humeral non-union.

Background No report has yet described good prognosis following the induced membrane technique (IMT) for bone defects over 200 mm. Case presentation A 46-year-old male developed osteomyelitis over a large portion of the right femoral diaphysis, which had an unknown infection route, and subtrochanteric fracture during the waiting period of the planed IMT. Around 3 days after the pathological fracture, the first stage was performed. Aggressive debridement resulted in large segmental bone defect, which was treated with internal fixation using intramedullary nailing and insertion of an antibiotic-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) spacer. Postoperative radiographs showed a radiographic apparent bone gap of 221 mm. A subsequent culture of the debrided bone test identified Corynebacterium as the causative organism, with blood examination indicating normal C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate following 4 weeks of intravenous antibiotic administration. Around 7 weeks after the first stage, the second stage was initiated. After removing the PMMA spacer, grafting was performed by filling the bone defect with a combination of autologous cancellous bone harvested from the posterior iliac crest and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), which were mixed in approximately equal proportions. Routine postoperative radiographs confirmed a sequential healing process and callus formation in three out of four cortices 3 years after surgery. Conclusions In the present case, IMT was able to successfully treat the osteomyelitis-induced large segmental bone defect of the femoral shaft exceeding 200 mm. Had autologous cancellous bone alone been applied during the second stage, the possible amount of bone defect covered by the IMT would have been limited. However, this limitation can be addressed by applying β-TCP. Further expansion of IMT indications may help address challenges in the treatment of extensive bone defects.

Reconstruction of post-traumatic large bone defect in tibia is a surgical challenge. Masquelet technique is a two stage procedure to achieve bone union. After cement spacer implantation in defect, optimal time for 2nd stage bone grafting is at 1 month. After 2 months, osteoinductive property of induced membrane is doubtful. We managed a post- traumatic tibial defect of 10 cm with cement spacer as 1st stage of Masquelet procedure. But 2nd stage was delayed for 6 months at which time osteoinductive property of induced membrane was doubtful. Osteopenia, pin track infection with stiff knee and ankle made 2nd stage surgery more challenging. We reconstructed 6 months old induced membrane with 12 cm non-vascularised fibula autograft in combination of cancellous autograft from iliac crest. The construct was fixed with locking compression plate on medial side. Patient achieved bone consolidation and successful union at 9 months with knee flexion of 100 degrees. This case demonstrated that induced membrane is able to preserve osteoinduction property even up to 6 months and with good structural support like fibula strut graft, successful reconstruction is possible in delayed 2nd stage of Masquelet technique.