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Half-ring external fixation in the management of tibial plafond fractures
C M Court-Brown1, C Walker, A Garg
1Edinburgh Orthopaedic Trauma Unit, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS Trust, United Kingdom.
Objective:
To investigate the management of tibial plafond fractures with a half-ring external fixator using half pins.
Design:
Prospective.
Setting:
University teaching hospital.
Patients:
Twenty-four patients with AO Type A or C tibial plafond fractures.
Outcome Measures:
Outcome was assessed by using standard criteria of time to union, incidence of infection and malunion, and incidence of pin-tract sepsis. Functional return was assessed by measuring hindfoot function. A scoring system, incorporating clinical and radiological results, was used to rate the results.
Results:
When using closed or minimally open reduction techniques and interfragmentary screw fixation for the articular component of the fractures, the results of using a half-ring external fixator with half-pins were comparable with those of using small wire fixators. There was a 4.2 percent incidence of infection, and 75 percent of the patients had good or excellent results.
Conclusions:
A half-ring external fixator using half-pins produces results that are comparable to those obtained with small wire external fixation. However, the technique is easier and safer.