Treatment of Type III Open Tibial Fractures with Repofix External Fixator

Jeon, Chang Hoon; Won, Ye Yeon

Abstract

We reviewed 18 patients with type III open tibial fracture from February 1992 to June 1995 (mean follow-up period 56.7 weeks) treated with Repofix external fixator. There were 16 men and 2 women. According to the Gustilos classification, there were type IIIa in 11 cases and type IIIb in 7 cases. Mean period of removal of external fixator was 19.3 weeks and after removal of external fixator, cast immobillization was performed in 4 cases. Among them, bony unions were noted in 15 cases and there were nonunion in 2 cases and malunion in 1 case. The causes of nonunion were failure of accurate reduction in 1 cases and severe initial comminuted fracture in 1 case. Complications were nerve injury, pin site infection and ring-type osteomyelitis. After removal of external fixator, nerve injuries were recovered and pin site infections except 1 case were healed. Ring-type osteomylitis was occurred in 1 case after removal of external fixator and osteomyelitis was dured after curettage. When type III open tibial fractures were treated with Repofix external fixator, there were advantages of 1) early weight bearing, 2) sagittal and coronal reduction of fracture and 3) correction of rotation. With advantages, this external fixator was appropriate for the treatment of type III open tibial fractures.