Complications and Outcomes of One-Bone Forearm Reconstruction

Background: The objective of this study was to review the outcomes of patients who underwent one-bone forearm (OBF) reconstruction. Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent OBF surgery between 1994 and 2014 was undertaken. Patient demographics, etiology, associated injuries, number of surgeries prior to OBF surgery, surgical details, and postoperative information were collected. A telephone interview was conducted at final follow-up, including a Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire, a 10-point scoring system used by Peterson et al, and a series of questions concerning pain and patient satisfaction. Results: There were 6 males and 2 females with a mean age of 44 years (range, 20-66 years). All patients had traumatic etiology, with 6 having open wounds and 2 having closed wounds. All patients had union with a mean follow-up of 83.6 months (range, 16-218 months). The mean pain score was 3 (range, 0-8), of which 3 were painless (score 0). The mean QuickDASH score was 39 (range, 7-75), and 4 patients had good or excellent results according to the 10-point score system used by Peterson et al. All patients were satisfied with the result. Five of 8 had complications related to soft tissues that were residual from their prior injuries and surgeries. One patient had post healing fracture requiring revision fixation and 1 had a postoperative infection requiring parenteral antibiotics. Conclusions: OBF surgery is an effective salvage procedure for complicated forearm instability, particularly after trauma. While union rates are high, complications are typically related to pain and soft tissue secondary to the previous injury and reconstructive procedures.