Distraction osteogenesis versus induced membrane technique for infected tibial non-unions with segmental bone loss: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis of available studies.

Introduction: Infected tibial non-unions with associated bone loss can be challenging to manage. At present, the two main methods utilized in the management of these fractures include the Ilizarov technique of Distraction Osteogenesis (DO) using external fixator devices, or alternatively, the Induced Membrane Technique (IMT), devised by Masquelet. As there is a paucity of data directly comparing the outcomes of these techniques, there is no universal agreement on which strategy a surgeon should choose to use.

Meta-analysis. What have we learned?

Meta-analyses constitute fundamental tools of the Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) aiming at synthesizing outcome data from individual trials in order to produce pooled effect estimates for various outcomes of interest. Combining summary data from several studies increases the sample size, improves the statistical power of the findings as well as the precision of the obtained effect estimates. For all these reasons, meta-analyses are thought of providing the best evidence to support clinical practice guidelines.