[Results of surgical stabilisation of 307 open fractures (author's transl)]

Primary operative care with debridement and the soft tissue protective osteosynthesis is the method of choice in the management of open fractures. A follow-up study of 307 so treated fractures was performed over an average of 3 years after the initial trauma. The overall rate of osteomyelitis was 8.5% in below knee compound fractures and 4.9% in all other areas. During the past two years while using the external fixation device in 2nd and 3rd degree compound fractures in the lower leg the osteomyelitis rate was reduced to 5.5%. In the 2nd and 3rd degree compound crural fractures due to the delayed bone healing with the external fixation method alone we recommend the so called "combination osteosynthesis" in which a screw or a AO-2-hole-plate is employed additionally. Furthermore it seems essential to perform an autologous cancellous bone graft in these fractures to reduce the long healing time.