Abstract

The aim of this study is to assessor the tibial pilon fractures treated primarily with results of the articulated external fixation. The study included 24 patients (18 male, 6 female) with mean age of 26 ± 4.2 (range 18-51). According to the classification of AO/OTA, 6 cases were diagnosed as Type A, 4 cases as Type B and 14 cases as type C. Also, according to the Gustilo and Anderson method four of the cases were classified as grade I, two grade II and six grade III open fracture. For eight cases only the articulated external fixation was used, and for sixteen of the cases who have fibula injury at the syndesmosis level both articulated external fixation and plate-screw osteosynthesis for the restoration of the fibula was performed. While the articulated external fixation duration ranged from 8 to 14 weeks (10 ± 3.2 SD); follow up period was between 7 and 32 months (25 ± 4.6 SD). The results were evaluated according to the Teeny and Wiss criteria. The operation results of the patients were as follow: excellent for three, good for four, moderate for three, and poor for two of them. The complications encountered were bulla skin lesion for two of the cases at post-operative third day and non-union for one of the patients. There was no bone or soft tissue infection. The open tibial pilon fractures result from high-energy trauma; carry risk of serious injuries, loss of the range of the motion and infection can be safely treated with external fixation technique.

Key words:  External fixators, tibial fractures, intra-articular fractures.