Treatment of open peri-articular fractures using Ilizarov external fixator

ABSTRACT

Open fractures have a high incidence of complications and a poor outcome particulary when they are periarticular. In this study Ilizarov external fixator frame was used to treat 20 fractures in 19 patients. All the fractures were open type II or type III. All the fractures were involing the articular surface of the tibia or the femur except one involving the upper tibial metaphysis. Tibia was fractured in 14 cases and the femur was fractured in 6 cases. All fractures healed in reasonable time [from 8-14 weeks in the tibial fractures and 11-18 weeks in the femoral fractures]. There were no complications apart from limitation of motion of the knee in patients with femoral fractures by 10 to 30 degrees