Treatment of Complex Supracondylar Fractures of the Femur with External Fixation / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

The authors report the clinical results of ten cases of complex supracondylar fractures treated by external fixation with a mean follow up of 21 months. Six cases were closed comminuted fracture, and four cases were open fractures. By AO classification six cases were type C2, two type C3, one type Al, and one type A3. Four cases had associated vascular injury. Reduction was performed by closed method in eight cases, and two cases were reduced through open wound. All cases healed at average of 142 days. Final healing of all cases occurred with an average range of motion of 3°-119° except one case which required reapplication due to infected nonunion with a gap. In nine cases of the ten functional results were rated as "good", and one case was "fair" by Iowa Knee Rating Scale. In conclusion, definitive external fixation can be a good alternative treatment modality despite previous recommendations to limit external fixation to temporary application in cases of limb salvage, such as severe comminution or pre-existing infection.