Severe open fracture tibia the relationship between external fixation and nonunion
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Date
2000-05
Authors
Ab. Ghani, Sanusi Azni
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
A retrospective study was carried out from January 1997 to January 1999 to look
into the rate of nonunion of severe open tibial fractures treated with external fixators.
This study included 22 patients with 22 severe open diaphyseal tibial fractures of
grade 11, lilA and lllB seen within 1 years period in HUSM (Hospital Universiti
Sains Malaysia), Kubang Kerian, Kelantan. The patients age ranged from 19 to 73
years (mean age of38.2 years). There were 19 males and 3 females. The mechanism
of injury included 19 motorcycle accidents, one pedestrian-motorcycle accident, one
motorvehicle accident and one logging injury. Two fractures were at the proximal
third, eleven were middle third, eight were distal third and one was segmental.
Clinical symptoms and plain radiographes were used to evaluate the union rate.
The mean time interval from injury to application of external fixator was 18 hours.
The mean duration of patient on external fixator was 66 days. The union rates was 13
weeks(6 patients). The duration on external fixator and time interval from injury to
application of an external fixator also did not influence the union rate. Proximal third
fracture healed faster than lower or middle third, however it was not statistically
significant. Grade 11 open tibial fracture healed faster than grade 111 A and grade
111 B. Highly comminuted fracture healed slower than simple fracture (Winquist
4:28 weeks), however it was also not statistically significant.
Description
Keywords
Severe open tibial fractures