[Treatment of unstable closed tibial shaft fractures by external fixation]

The fracture of tibia shaft is one of the most common fracture of long bones. The authors bring out the results of the treatment of 90 patients with unstable closed tibial shaft fractures treated by the use of Mitkovic external fixation systems. Within the analayzed group there were 66 (73%) male and 24 (27%) female. The average patients age was 43.9 years (range 15 to 82). Excellent result in treatment of unstable closed tibial shaft fractures with external fixation were achieved in 15 (16,7%) patients, very good in 38 (42,2%) patients, good in 24 (26,7%), poor in 9 (10%) and bad in 4 (4,4%) patients. With 4 (4,4%) patients pseudoarthrosis was formed. Additional treatment of patients with pseudoarthrosis (spongioplastic and placing of CD device) led to pseudoarthrosis healing. Within the analyzed group in all patients treated with extenal fixation there were no registered cases of postoperative osteitis. External fixation by the use of Mitkovic external fixation is one of the method of choose in the treatment of unstable closed tibial fractures, providing dynamic and balanced biomehanical conditions for fracture healing.