**1. Definition**

Non-union is a fracture with no healing potential without a further surgical procedure. Diagnosis of non-union can be done in case of healing failure from 6 to 9 months after the first fracture. Time is variable between fracture types, at the level of the tibial pilon diagnosis can be done only 9 months after trauma. Between long bones, tibia is the most frequently involved by this complication.

We consider appropriate to keep the attention of the reader on the relevance that more frequent traumatic mechanism have in relationship with evolution and eventual failure of healing processes.

As known, tibial plafond fractures are mainly caused by axial overload more than torsional forces, that are, responsible more frequently of malleolus fractures.

The mechanism of axial overload presupposes a major transfer of energy which leads to a more rapid deformation of the bone tissue until resistance limit is reached. The energy released at the broken point to soft tissues surrounding causes characteristics soft tissues lesions, which are present in those kinds of fractures and make the healing more complex: associated fractures, dislocation of the astragalus; vascular and nervous lesions; muscle and skin lesions with comparison of enlarged edema.
