Treatment of Tibial Fractures with the Ilizarov Method / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Between 1987 and 1992, 86 tibial fractures were treated with the Ilizarov external fixator at Gyeong-Sang National University Hospital and Okpo Hospital. The mean follow-up period was 31.4 months. Sixty-six were open fractures and twenty were closed fractures with severe comminution. In 66 open fractures, there were 9 Gustilo type I, 10 type II, and 47 type III fractures. Of 66 open fractures, 22 had bone defects ranged from 2cm to 17cm and 16 had extensive loss of soft tissue. Twenty-two bone defects were treated with cancellous bone grafts in 8 cases, bifocal osteosynthesis with bone graft in 12 cases, and trifocal osteosynthesis with bone graft in 2 cases. Thirty-four extensive soft tissue defects were treated with split-thickness skin graft, musculocutaneous flap, soft tissue transportation with ring used in bifocal, trifocal osteosynthesis, and acute shortening of fracture site. Of 20 closed fractures, 14 were treated with cancellous bone graft for decreasing union time and 6 were treated with monofocal compression without bone graft. The mean time to union was 20.5 weeks in closed fractures, and 35.4 weeks in open fractures. Of 40 complications, 12 were knee and ankle joint contractures, 12 were soft tissue and bone infections of pin tract, 5 were refracture, 5 were angular deformities of 10 degree or more, 5 were delayed union, and 2 were nonunion. According to Tucker's classification, the results were graded as excellent in 31, good in 38, fair in 12, and poor in 5 cases. Primary or secondary bone graft is necessary for early bony union and anatomical reduction combined with bone graft could prevent the complications of delayed union and nonunion.

External Fixation of Long Bone Fractures in Children / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Twenty-eight patients with 20 tibia fractures and 8 femur fractures were treated with external fixation. The average age at fracture was 10 years 10 months ranging from 5 years to 17 years 6 months. Of 28 fractures, 6 were closed fractures and 22 were open fractures. The average follow-up of these children was 23 months. Monofixators were used in 12 fractures and Ilizarov fixators in 16 fractures. The average time to healing of the fractures was 14.6 weeks(range, 6 to 44 weeks). Seven segmental bone defects(range, 2 to 17cm) were treated with the Ilizarov method of internal bone transport using the transport ring and bone grafting at the docking site. The average healing index for callus distraction was 25 days per centimeter. Seven patients had 10 major complications that necessitated additional operative procedures. There were 4 nonunions. Three patients had an infected nonunion, which was treated with the Ilizarov fixator and polymethyl-methacrylate antibiotic beads. One patient had a hypertrophic nonunion which was treated with plate fixation. Three patients who had an epiphyseal injury had shortening with angular deformity, which was treated by callus distraction. Three patients had a joint contracture, which was treated by the percutaneous tenotomy and Ilizarov fixator. The selection of the type of external fixator depends on the fracture pattern and the Ilizarov fixator is recommended for complicated fracture with severe comminution or segmental bone loss.

Comparative Study of Interlocking and Ender Nails fixation of Diaphyseal Fracture of Femur / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Interlocking and Ender nail fixations have been widely used for the surgical treatment of diaphyseal fractures of femur. Interlocking nail could give advantage of high stability to unstable, cominuted fractures. It requires, however, advanced technique and exposure to radiation harzard, often complicated by further comminution, displacement, breakage of drill bit or loosening of locking screws. Ender nail, on the contrary, is easier in procedure without reaming, thereby maintaining endosteum and requiring short operation time. It, however, cannot avoid complications of shortening, rotational deformity, migration of nails, etc. This study aimed at comparative evaluation of the clinical results of two different nailings(23 Interlocking and 19 Ender nails) performed from March 1987 to March 1993. The study materials were 42 femoral fractures out of 41 adult patients with the followed-up between one and seven years(average 3.5 years). The results are summarized as below: 1. Fracture occurred mostly in the mid-diaphysis(81%) and the Type III comminution(63%) was most common according to the Winquist-Hansen classifiaction. 2. The operative time averaged ninty five minutes in Interlocking nailing, while sixty minutes in Ender nailing. The blood loss was negligible in both techniques. 3. Fluoroscopic assessment after insertion of the nails revealed that Interlocking gave superior stability to Ender nail, while Ender nail produced earlier callus formation(7.5 weeks in average) than Interlocking nail(9.0 weeks in average, p 0.05). 4. Interlocking nail was complicated by loosening of locking screws in two, angulation in one, breakage of drill bit in one cases. Ender nail showed protrusion in two, limb shortening in three, rotational deformity in three cases respectively. There was neither operative infection nor nonunion.