Latest research on fracture nonunion

26 papers · updated 2026-09-26 · Orthopaedic Trauma · All topics

The newest papers on fracture nonunion from the orthopaedic journals The Reduction reads, newest first, each with a one-line summary. The list is drawn from the digest’s archive and refreshed every week.

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Recent papers

  1. Extra-Articular Malunions and Nonunions of the Scapular Body and Neck: A Comparison of Functional Outcomes Before and After Reconstruction.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Sep 23 2026 · PubMed

    Surgical reconstruction of symptomatic scapular neck/body malunions and nonunions achieved universal union and significantly improved DASH scores, flexion, and abduction, though about a quarter needed further surgery.

  2. Identification of biomechanical alterations associated with nonunion after tibial shaft fractures using musculoskeletal simulation based on motion capture and instrumented insole data.

    Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery · Sep 22 2026 · PubMed

    Musculoskeletal simulation of gait data in 13 tibial shaft fracture patients showed nonunion cases had greater limb asymmetry in push-off moment, joint forces, and plantar flexor muscle forces than those who healed.

  3. Open versus percutaneous fibular graft harvesting in long bone nonunion surgery: A comparative cohort study.

    Injury · Sep 06 2026 · PubMed

    In a cohort of 34 nonunion patients, percutaneous fibular graft harvesting reduced pain, blood loss, and peroneal nerve injury compared to open harvesting while achieving comparable union rates.

  4. Treatment of humeral shaft nonunion by exchange intramedullary nailing and circumferential cortical strut allograft: the Sarcophagus technique.

    JSES Reviews, Reports & Techniques · Aug 2026 · PubMed

    The Sarcophagus technique combining intramedullary nailing with circumferential cortical strut allograft achieves 87.5% union rate in humeral shaft nonunion with favorable functional recovery and minimal complications.

  5. Testosterone replacement therapy increases the risk of nonunion after surgical fixation of lower extremity fractures.

    Injury · Aug 2026 · PubMed

    Testosterone replacement therapy increases nonunion and revision risks in male patients undergoing lower extremity fracture fixation.

  6. Radiographic Scaphoid Waist Index and Nonunion After Scaphocapitate Fusion for Kienböck Disease.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · Aug 19 2026 · PubMed

    In a small retrospective cohort, lower scaphoid waist index trended toward higher nonunion risk after scaphocapitate fusion for Kienböck disease, but findings were imprecise and hypothesis-generating only.

  7. Outcomes of One-Stage Infected Humerus Nonunion Repair in Patients with Prior Operative Fracture Fixation.

    Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma · Aug 19 2026 · PubMed

    One-stage repair of infected humeral nonunion after failed ORIF achieved union in 87% of patients, though one in three needed unplanned reoperation for infection or nonunion.

  8. Outcomes of Aseptic, Septic, and Occult Infected Index Nonunion Repair: A Retrospective Comparative Study.

    Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma · Aug 13 2026 · PubMed

    Among nonunion repairs classified by FRI criteria, septic nonunions had worse union rates and higher postoperative infection risk than aseptic or occult-infected nonunions, which performed similarly well.

  9. Arthroscopic Treatment of Scaphoid Nonunion with Nonvascularized Autogenous Bone Grafting: A Prospective Study of 39 Patients.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (Global Online) · Aug 07 2026 · PubMed

    Prospective study of 39 patients found all-arthroscopic curettage and nonvascularized bone grafting achieved 94.8% union in scaphoid nonunion with good function, though smokers had worse outcomes.

  10. Risk Factor Analysis of Delayed Union or Nonunion After Total Hip Arthroplasty Combined with Subtrochanteric Transverse Osteotomy in Patients Who have Crowe Type IV Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip.

    Journal of Arthroplasty · Aug 03 2026 · PubMed

    In THA with subtrochanteric osteotomy for Crowe IV DDH, autogenous bone plate wiring improved union rates versus stem press-fit alone, with poor canal fill/cortical apposition and older age as key nonunion risk factors.

  11. Outcomes of Distal Radius Autograft in Adolescent Scaphoid Nonunion Repair.

    Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics · Jul 13 2026 · PubMed

    In adolescent scaphoid nonunions, ORIF with distal radius autograft achieved union in all cases (94% by 6 months) with improved carpal alignment and good return to activity, supporting this as an effective treatment.

  12. Lunocapitate versus Four-Corner Arthrodesis Using Headless Compression Screws in Treatment of Scapholunate Advanced Collapse and Scaphoid Nonunion Advanced Collapse Wrist: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

    Journal of Wrist Surgery · Jun 2026 · PubMed

    Four-corner and lunocapitate fusions show similar outcomes; lunocapitate preserves function better but has higher complication rates requiring further study.

  13. Outcomes After Treatment of Scaphoid Nonunion With Open Reduction Internal Fixation and Nonvascularized Autograft.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · Jun 08 2026 · PubMed

    Scaphoid nonunion fixed with nonvascularized autograft healed in 95%, with no difference between cancellous and corticocancellous graft, and bridging bone on early CT reliably predicts union.

  14. Approach to Femoral Shaft Nonunions: Diagnosis and Management.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Dec 01 2025 · Review · PubMed

    This review outlines evidence-based diagnostic workup and management strategies for femoral shaft nonunions, which occur in 2–6% of cases despite high union rates with IM nailing.

  15. Arthroscopic bone grafting in scaphoid fracture nonunion: Is it a universal solution?

    Journal of Hand and Microsurgery · Jul 2025 · Review · PubMed

    This review finds arthroscopic bone grafting for scaphoid nonunion achieves union rates and times comparable to open surgery regardless of smoking, chronicity, or fracture location, though deformity correction may be inferior.

  16. The sole use of stem cells in treating fracture nonunion: a scoping review.

    Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery · Jul 23 2025 · Review · PubMed

    This scoping review finds evidence for sole mesenchymal stem cell therapy in fracture nonunion is promising but inconsistent and inconclusive, highlighting the need for standardized study methodologies.

  17. Bone Graft and Fixation Options in the Surgical Management of Scaphoid Nonunion.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Oct 29 2024 · Review · PubMed

    Review outlines bone graft and fixation choices for scaphoid nonunion, guiding selection of nonvascularized, vascularized, or osteochondral grafts based on proximal pole viability and deformity.

  18. Distal Radius Nonunions: A Rare Entity?

    Hand Clinics · Feb 2024 · Review · PubMed

    Reviews the rare entity of distal radius nonunion, its risk factors, and surgical treatment options ranging from ORIF with bone grafting to total wrist arthrodesis.

  19. Scaphoid Nonunions: Local Vascularized Bone Flaps.

    Hand Clinics · Feb 2024 · Review · PubMed

    Review article on using local vascularized bone flaps for scaphoid nonunion, noting they avoid microsurgical anastomosis and can achieve high union rates in select patients.

  20. Forearm Nonunions-From Masquelet to Free Vascularized Bone Grafting.

    Hand Clinics · Feb 2024 · Review · PubMed

    This article addresses evaluation and surgical management strategies—from Masquelet technique to free vascularized bone grafting—for forearm nonunions and malunions.

  21. Traditional Bone Grafting in Scaphoid Nonunion.

    Hand Clinics · Feb 2024 · Review · PubMed

    Nonvascularized bone grafting remains an effective option for scaphoid waist and proximal pole nonunions when combined with adequate debridement, length restoration, and stable fixation.

  22. Scaphoid fracture and nonunion: new directions.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (European) · Sep 2023 · Review · PubMed

    This review covers modern management of acute scaphoid fractures and nonunion, noting a trend toward dual-screw fixation and favoring two screws without bone graft even with humpback deformity.

  23. Slight Elongation of the Scaphoid and Cancellous Bone Graft Without Compression for Treatment of Scaphoid Nonunions.

    Hand Clinics · Aug 2022 · Review · PubMed

    Scaphoid waist nonunion treatment with slight lengthening, bone graft, and K-wire fixation without compression achieves good union rates.

  24. Treatment of upper extremity palsies, gunshot wounds and scaphoid nonunion: my preferred approaches.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (European) · Jun 2022 · Review · PubMed

    An expert opinion piece outlines the author's preferred surgical strategies for treating upper extremity nerve palsies, gunshot wound injuries, and scaphoid nonunion.

  25. Scaphoid Nonunion Vascularized Bone Grafting in 2021: Is Avascular Necrosis the Sole Determinant?

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · Sep 2021 · Review · PubMed

    Scaphoid nonunion treatment decisions should consider multiple risk factors beyond avascular necrosis, including nonunion location, duration, and previous surgery, to guide vascularized bone graft use.

  26. Revision surgery for non-union in adult spinal deformity.

    European Spine Journal · Feb 2020 · Review · PubMed

    Successful revision surgery for adult spinal deformity pseudoarthrosis requires correcting alignment, restoring anterior column support, and achieving solid fixation; outcomes are generally satisfactory when these goals are met.

Landmark papers

  1. The Critical Size Defect as an Experimental Model for Craniomandibulofacial Nonunions

    Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research · 1986 · cited 1,316 times · PubMed

    Critical size defects in animal calvaria and mandibles model maxillofacial nonunions; hierarchy of animal models from rat to monkey calvaria to dog and monkey mandibles recommended for bone repair research.

  2. Osteogenic Protein-1 (Bone Morphogenetic Protein-7) in the Treatment of Tibial Nonunions

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · 2001 · cited 962 times · PubMed

    A randomized trial found rhOP-1 (BMP-7) achieved healing rates comparable to autogenous bone graft for tibial nonunions, without donor-site morbidity.

  3. A new vascularized bone graft for scaphoid nonunion

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · 1991 · cited 520 times · PubMed

    Vascularized distal dorsoradial radius bone graft enables scaphoid nonunion healing with reduced immobilization time compared to conventional techniques.

  4. The effect of avascular necrosis on Russe bone grafting for scaphoid nonunion

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · 1985 · cited 351 times · PubMed

    In 45 scaphoid nonunion patients, Russe bone grafting succeeded in 92% with good proximal pole vascularity but failed in all cases of true avascular necrosis, determined intraoperatively by punctate bleeding.

  5. A Review of Ankle Arthrodesis: Predisposing Factors to Nonunion

    Foot & Ankle International · 1994 · cited 339 times · PubMed

    Reviewing 78 ankle fusions over 15 years, nonunion was linked to fracture type, avascular necrosis, infection, major comorbidities, and open injury, but not age or prior hindfoot fusion.

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