IPSILATERAL KNEE LIGAMENT INJURIES AND OPEN TIBIAL DIAPHYSEAL FRACTURES - INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF KNEE LIGAMENT INJURIES SUSTAINED

Fifty patients with isolated open tibial shaft fractures were reviewed to determine the incidence and type of knee ligament injuries sustain ed. Eighteen patients (36 per cent) had at least one ligament injury i n the ipsilateral knee; eight had multiple ligament injuries. Only fou r patients (22 per cent) were diagnosed as having a ligament injury at the time of initial management and the remaining 14 patients were dia gnosed at the time of review for this study. There is a high incidence of ipsilateral knee ligament injuries in open tibial shaft fractures; the knee should be thoroughly examined at the time of initial fractur e management. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.