HYBRID EXTERNAL FIXATION IN TIBIAL PLAFOND FRACTURES

Fourteen patients with Ruedi/Allgower types II and III distal tibia fr actures received indirect reduction followed by application of a Monti celli-Spinelli hybrid external fixation system, All 14 patients were a vailable for followup, A stability similar to that of an open reductio n and internal fixation was noted, The mean time to union was 13 weeks . There were no nonunions, One patient experienced malunion in 7 degre es varus, Superficial pin tract infections occurred in 8 pins (3 patie nts), and all resolved with aggressive pin care and a short course of orally administered antibiotics. Through postoperative tomography, 1 p in was found to be within the ankle joint and was removed. There were no deep infections. The subjective and objective results were classifi ed according to Ovadia and peals. On the basis of these early results, by limiting additional trauma to the soft and bony tissues and allowi ng early ankle range of motion, indirect reduction and application of a hybrid external fixator is useful, particularly if the fracture frag ments are so comminuted that anatomic reduction cannot be expected des pite surgical intervention.