Management of Open Fractures and Subsequent Complications

by Charalampos G. Zalavras, Randall E. Marcus, L. Scott Levin, and Michael J. Patzakis

J Bone Joint Surg AmVolume 89(4):884-895

April 1, 2007

©2007 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

Type-I open fracture of the tibia with a small (<1-cm) traumatic wound.

Charalampos G. Zalavras et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007;89:884-895

©2007 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

Following surgical extension of the wound, the open fracture site was débrided and the fracture was fixed.

Charalampos G. Zalavras et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007;89:884-895

©2007 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

The wound was managed with the partial closure technique, in which the surgical extension of the wound is closed and the traumatic wound is left open.

Charalampos G. Zalavras et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007;89:884-895

©2007 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

Charalampos G. Zalavras et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007;89:884-895

©2007 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

Charalampos G. Zalavras et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007;89:884-895

©2007 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

Charalampos G. Zalavras et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007;89:884-895

©2007 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

Charalampos G. Zalavras et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007;89:884-895

©2007 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

Type-IIIB open fracture of the distal part of the tibia.

Charalampos G. Zalavras et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007;89:884-895

©2007 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

Antibiotic beads were placed in the wound, which was then sealed with a semipermeable membrane until the time of the soft-tissue coverage procedure.

Charalampos G. Zalavras et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007;89:884-895

©2007 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.