The new intramedullary cable bone transport technique.

Traditional segment transport methods pose major soft tissue and bone problems related to the pin or K wire that fixes the transported bone segment through the soft tissue, especially excursion of the K wire. We designed the cable bone transport technique to prevent these problems and to increase patient comfort. Thirteen patients with bone defects (11 in the tibia and 2 in the femur) were treated successfully with the new method. Because the transported segment is not fixed externally in the cable bone transport method, docking site troubles, such as soft tissue invagination and malalignment, and skin problems due to excursion of the K wire are prevented, which in turn reduces other difficulties that might arise from alternative procedures.