RESUMO
Resumen: Introducción: la dehiscencia de herida quirúrgica con exposición de material de fijación interna es un grave problema en cirugía ortopédica y un factor importante de infección. Objetivo: descripción del caso inusual de un paciente adulto con dehiscencia de la herida quirúrgica y exposición completa de 20 cm de largo de una placa de cúbito tras seis años de la cirugía, sin signos de infección, consolidación ósea y reepitelización debajo de la placa y adherida al hueso. Caso clínico: hombre de 39 años que sufrió una fractura-luxación de Monteggia, abierta grado II y multifragmentaria. El paciente tenía historia de drogodependencia en tratamiento con metadona. Fue tratado con fijación interna del cúbito mediante una placa de reconstrucción larga. Postoperatoriamente, el paciente dejó de acudir para evaluación. A los seis años de la cirugía presentaba una completa exposición de la placa (20 cm de longitud), sin signos de infección y consolidación con malalineación de la fractura. Tras el retiro de la placa se observó epitelización espontánea adherida al lecho óseo cubital. La cobertura cutánea fue completa a los dos meses. Conclusión: aunque inusual, es posible la consolidación ósea y la ausencia de infección en una fractura abierta con exposición de larga evolución de una placa de antebrazo en el adulto.
Abstract: Introduction: surgical wound dehiscence with exposure of internal fixation material is a serious problem in orthopedic surgery and an important factor for infection. Objective: presentation of an unusual case of an adult patient with surgical wound dehiscence and complete exposure of 20 cm of the ulnar plate after six years of surgery, without infection signs, with bone healing and skin behind the plate. Case presentation: 39-year-old man with an open Gustilo II Monteggia fracture-dislocation multifracture. The patient had a history of drug dependence. He had an open reduction and internal fixation with an ulnar reconstruction plate. The patient did not have any follow-up. After six years of the surgery, there was a complete exposure of the plate (20 cm) without infection and healing of the fracture with misalignment. After removing the plate, we observed spontaneous epithelialization attached to the bone bed. Skin coverage was complete at two months. Conclusion: although unusual, bone consolidation without infection is possible in an open fracture with long-standing exposure to a forearm plate in the adult.
RESUMO
Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of the reversed saphenous fasciocutaneous island flap combined with the VSD therapy in plate exposure of the distal tibia.Methods From January 2008 to July 2010,seven patients with hardware exposure following internal fixation of the distal tibia fracture were treated by VSD therapy and reversed saphenous fasciocutaneous island flap reconstruction.The VSD therapy was performed from 7 to 26 days after hardware exposure,and the flap transfer was performed 7 to 14 days after the VSD therapy.The size of the soft-tissue defect ranged from 4 cm × 2 cm to 13 cm × 4 cm.The mean follow-up was 10.6 months after the fracture (range,8-14 months).Results The average times of the VSD therapy was 1.3.After VSD was removed,the exposed hardware was covered by healthy granulation tissue in all cases.All flaps were successfully transplanted,and the size of flap ranged from 6 cm × 3 cm to 15 cm × 6 cm.Six of 7 flaps survived completely without further procedures.The necrosis of the distal margin of the flap occurred in 1 patient.A solid bony union was confirmed by the X-ray in all patients after 4-6 months postoperatively.No skin defects or fistulae were observed.Conclusion The combination of the reversed saphenous fasciocutaneous island flap and VSD therapy could save the exposed hardware and cover the soft tissue defects in the distal tibia.