Reconstruction of severe leg injuries in 190 patients / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss experiences in reconstruction of severe tibial shaft fractures by using different flaps and external fixations.Methods The study involved 190 patients with type GustiloⅢB Ⅲ C (160 patients) and GustiloⅢC (30 patients) tibial shaft fractures treated from 1990 to 2007.There were 169 males and 21 females,at average age of 42.5 years.The injury causes included traffic accidents in 132 patients,machine accidents in 32 and stone smashing in 26.The management procedure consisted of administration of antibiotics,serial debridement and different flap grafting (including free thoracoumbilical flaps in 20 patients,sural neurocutaneous vascular flaps in 108,saphenous neurocutane ous vascular flaps in 12,superficial peroneal neurocutaneous flap in two,fasciocutaneous flaps in 26 and gastrocnemius muscular flaps in 22) and different external fixators (half-ring fixators in 84 patients,unilateral axial dynamic fixators in 12,AO fixators in 10,Weifang fixators in 42 and hybrid fixators in 40).The average follow-up was 7.3 years.Results All flaps survived.Of all,186 patients obtained fracture healing,with mean fracture healing time varying in different patients treated with different external fixators:7.5 months for 84 patients treated with half-ring fixators,11.2 months for eight with unilateral axial dynamic fixators,8.5 months for 12 with AO fixators ,8.1 months for 42 with Weifang fixators and 7.8 months for 40 with assembly fixators.Except for half-ring fixation,the other fixators needed necessary bone graft.Four patients treated with unilateral axial dynamic fixators resulted in nonunion due to osteo myelitis.The latest follow up showed that the function of the ankle and knee was normal,with no pain.Conclusion Combination of half-ring external fixators with various flaps provides good method for treatment of Gustilo ⅢB and ⅢC tibial shaft fractures.