THE OUTCOME OF INTERNAL FIXATION IN OPEN TIBIAL SHAFT FRACTURE
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Open tibial shaft fractures are the result of high-energy traumas and often involve severe bone and soft tissue damage, damage of muscles and neurovascular structures. Internal fixations and bacterial cultures in treatment of open tibial shaft fractures remain a relatively underexplored topic, therefore, we conducted a study to evaluate the treatment outcomes of internal fixation. Objectives: To describe bacterial cultures and evaluate the treatment outcomes of internal fixation for open tibial shaft fractures. Materials and methods: A prospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 34 patients with open tibial shaft fractures who underwent internal fixation at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital and Can Tho Central General Hospital from March 2023 to June 2025. Results: 10 patients underwent internal fixation using plate, while 24 patients underwent internal fixation using intramedullary nailing. The average time to fracture union, assessed using the RUST score was 76.5% at 3-month follow-up and 94.1% at 6-month follow-up. Functional recovery, evaluated at 6-month follow-up using the Kentenjian and Shelton scale, achieved excellent results 82.3%, good outcomes 14.7% and fair was 2.9%. Conclusion: Intramedullary nailing remains the preferred method over plate fixation for treatment of open tibial shaft fractures, as it causes less soft tissue damage, results in shorter healing times, reduces the risk of infection, and yields better functional recovery outcomes.
Keywords
open tibial shaft fracture, internal fixation, bacterial culture
Article Details
References
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