OBJECTIVE To explore the effect of tibial osteotomy and bone transport combined with vancomycin-containing bone cement pad filling on treatment of the tibial trauma patients with bone infection and soft tissue defects.

METHODS A total of 82 tibial trauma patients with bone infection and soft tissue defects who were treated with tibial osteotomy and bone transport combined with vancomycin-containing bone cement pad filling in Longyou County People′s from Jan. 2019 to Jun. 2023 were enrolled in the study and were divided into the group A with 33 cases (treated with tibial osteotomy and bone transport combined with vancomycin-containing bone cement pad filling) and the group B with 49 cases (treated with single tibial osteotomy and bone transport) according to the wishes of the patient. The clinical data of the enrolled patients were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical curative effect, healing time of bone transport soft tissues, duration of external fixation, mineralization time of transport area, extended length of bone and external fixation indexes were compared between the two groups. The American knee society clinical rating system (AKS)score, Baird-Jackson score, recurrence rate of bone infection and incidence of complications were compared between the two groups after the surgery for 24 months.

RESULTS After the surgery for 24 months, the effective rate of treatment of the group A was higher than that of the group B (P < 0.05). The healing time of bone transport soft tissues, duration of external fixation and mineralization time of transport area were shorter in the group A than in the group B, the extended length of bone of the group A was longer than that of the group B, and the external fixation indexes of the group A were higher than those of the group B(P < 0.05). After the surgery for 24 months, the AKS score and Baird-Jackson score were higher in the group A than in the group B, while the recurrence rate of bone infection of the group A was lower than that of the group B (P < 0.05). The total incidence of postoperative complications of the group A was 9.09%, lower than 30.61% of the group B (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION The tibial osteotomy and bone transport combined with vancomycin-containing bone cement pad filling can promote the bone extension, healing of soft tissues and recovery of knee and ankle function of the tibial trauma patients with bone infection and soft tissue defects, and it can also reduce the risk of recurrence of infection.