Louis Dominique le Roy and the first documented and successful crural fracture osteosynthesis, performed in Antwerp in 1796.

METHODS: In 1796 the Antwerp surgeon Louis Dominique Le Roy (1755-1826) performed an osteosynthesis for an open crural fracture, using cerclage of the tibia with a golden thread. The written report, the first ever of such osteosynthesis, is documented by the publication in Dutch, and translated here in English language. RESULTS: The osteosynthesis proved successful. The patient completely healed. CONCLUSION: This is the first successful osteosynthesis and thereby antedates by far the late nineteenth century cerclage operations of long bones.