Acute fracture-related infection (FRI) is a common and serious complication of fracture treatment. The clinical symptoms of the patient and the results of the serological, radiological, and histopathologi-cal examinations can be divided into ‘Confirmatory’ criteria and ‘Suggestive’ criteria, allowing for the diagnosis of FRI. Treatment principles can be broadly categorized into (1) the DAIR (Debridement, Antimicrobial therapy, Implant Retention) method and (2) the staged reconstruction method. The choice of treatment depends on factors such as the time elapsed after infection, stability of the internal fixation device, reduction status, host physiology, and virulence of the pathogens. Thorough surgical debridement and irrigation, ensuring stability at the fracture site, reconstruction of bone defects, and appropriate soft tissue coverage, along with antibiotic therapy, are essential to suppress or eradicate the infection. The restoration of limb function should be promoted through proper soft tissue coverage and bone union at the fracture site.
Purpose Distal tibia fractures with severe soft-tissue edema or intra-articular fractures are treated by staged operations using external fixators. Definitive surgery that maintains ligamentotaxis has been difficult using existing fixators. This study introduced a novel ‘box-frame’ external fixator and evaluated its clinical usefulness. Materials and Methods This study included 45 patients (32 males, 13 females) diagnosed with distal tibia fractures who underwent staged operations between March 2012 and March 2016, with a follow-up of at least one year. The patients were divided into two groups. In one group, fixation was performed with a box-frame external fixator (Group A). In the other group, fixation was performed with a delta-frame external fixator (Group B). The following outcomes were evaluated: the time until definitive surgery, operative time of the definitive surgery, radiation exposure time, bone union, time to achieve bone union, postsurgical complications, American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society anklehindfoot score, and ankle range of motion. Results Compared to the delta-frame, the box-frame showed a statistically significant reduction in the mean radiation-exposure time and operative time during the definitive surgery by 58 seconds and 25 minutes, respectively. The differences in the time until definitive surgery, bone union, time to achieve bone union, postsurgical complications, and functional scores were not significant. Conclusion The box-frame external fixator can be a useful treatment method in the staged surgery of distal tibia fractures.
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