ABSTRACT :
Background: External fixation has gained acceptance as the preferred method of early stabilization for open tibial fractures.
Material and Methods: Unilateral uniplanar AO/ASIF external fixator was used to treat 42 open tibial fractures in 40 cases (2 cases were bilateral) as a primary and definitive method of treatment. According to the system of Gustilo et al., 10 fractures (24%) were grade II and 32 (76%) were grade III (18 grade IIIA and 14 grade IIIB). The safe corridor described by Behrens and Searls (1986) was used for fixator application and the mean follow-up period was 16 months.
Results: Union was achieved in 95% of fractures at an average time 20 weeks (12 – 36 weeks) with a 5% incidence of nonunion. A good range of knee and ankle motion was achieved at the final follow-up visit. The incidence of complication was not high mainly malunion (7.8%), minor pin tract infection (32.5%) and major pin tract infection (7.5%). Full weight bearing with the external fixator in place was permitted at a mean of 10 weeks.
Conclusion: Unilateral uniplanar external frame fixation is considered as a good method for definitive management of open tibial fractures for the following advantages: The fixator is cheap, easily applicable with a high rate of success and relatively low incidence of complications and the fixator is relatively comfortable to the patients.