Patient-reported outcomes following treatment of tibial non-union with circular frames

The management of tibial non-union is challenging with protracted, often arduous, treatments. The purpose of this study was to assess patient-reported outcomes following treatment of tibial non-union in circular external fixators. Twenty-one patients with tibial non-unions who successfully completed treatment at a mean of 10.1 months (range 6–20) in a circular external fixator were sent questionnaires utilising the Enneking scoring system and Euroqol EQ-5D. There were 14 responses. The mean Enneking score was 58.0 % (34.3–77.1). Two patients were enthusiastic about their treatment, while three accepted but would not repeat the treatment. The Euroqol questionnaire found that 8 patients had difficulty with mobility, 10 had difficulty with usual activities and 12 had moderate pain. There was no statistically significant difference in the EQ VAS score of overall health state for treated patients compared with predicted scores for an age- and sex-matched UK population (77.7 vs 83.1, p = 0.07).