Dynamic External Fixation for Open Tibial Fractures

Introduction

The treatment of open tibial fractures remains controversial. The choice of technique for stabilisation needs to be analysed. External fixation has numerous complications at pin sites, non-union or delayed union [4] [10] [17]. The biomechanical and biological advantages of intramedullary nailing in closed fractures have been expanded to open tibial fractures with  the potential risk of infection and instability [18]. Our policy is to treat closed tibial and open type I fractures conservatively or with reamed interlocking intramedullary nailing and type II or type III with external fixation. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the results of dynamisation of external fixation and comparison with the simple unilateral static frame.

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