Management of a Severe Degloving Injury With a Type 2 Open Tibia Fracture Using Negative Pressure Wound Therapy With...

Severe lower extremity trauma cases are challenging for most orthopedic surgeons if a degloving injury with open fracture is associated, especially in the elderly population. The management of the soft tissue is essential for bone union and reduction of infection.

The authors present the case of an 87-year-old female admitted to their department after a road accident in which she sustained an open fracture of the distal tibia classified as Gustilo-Anderson Type II, a closed fracture of the lateral malleoli, and a degloving of the posterior and lateral aspect of the left leg. After antibiotic delivery, she underwent surgical debridement and wound irrigation, 5 hours after the accident. The avulsed skin flap was conserved, the fracture of the lateral malleoli was fixed using the minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis technique, and an external fixation was applied for the distal tibia fracture. After 1 week, the necrotic skin flap and muscle were excised, and negative pressure wound therapy with instillation and dwell time (NPWTi-d) was applied for 9 days. Once granulation tissue with healthy wound edges was obtained, a split-thickness skin graft was used to provide total coverage. After 8 weeks, external fixation was replaced by a plaster cast. Eight weeks later, all wounds and fractures were healed, and the patient was able to return to their daily activities.

The authors' main goal was achieved: preserving the architecture of the leg, achieving bone union, and avoiding infection. A large part of this good result comes back to NPWTi-d, a promising treatment that grants clinical benefit for the patient and surgeon. Additional research and larger prospective studies are required before giving a strict recommendation.