[Open fractures of the leg type IIIb - Experience in 15 patients]

The author reports a retrospective study of 15 cases over the period 1988-1993.One third of the patients were initially treated in their unit and the two other thirds were referred secondarily.An average of 2 surgical debridements were needed before the closure of the wound was achieved with a free flap in 88 of the cases.Bone grafting was needed in 87% of the cases, 2 months on average after the closure of the wound: cancellous autograft in all cases and free bone flap in three cases.The time of external fixation was 7.2 months in this series.