TY - JOUR
T1 - Soft Iissue management of children's open tibial fractures - A review of senventy children over twenty years
AU - Rao, P.
AU - Schaverien, M. V.
AU - Stewart, K. J.
PY - 2010/5
Y1 - 2010/5
N2 - INTRODUTION The management of open tibial fractures in children represents a unique reconstructive challenge. The aim of the study was to evaluted the management of paediatric open tibial fractures with particular regard to soft tissue management. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective case-note analysis was performed for all children presenting with an open tibial fracture at a single institution over a 20-year period for 1985 to 2005. RESULTS Seventy children were reviewed of whom 41 were males and 29 females, Overall, 91%(n=64) of children suffered thir injury as a result of a vehicle-related injury. The severity of the fracture with respect to the Gustilo classification was: Grade I, 42%(n=29); Grade II, 24%(n=17); Grade III, 34%(n=24;7 Grade 3a, 16 Grade 3d, 1 Grade 3c). The majority of children were treated with external fixation and conservative measures, with a mean hospital in-patient stay of 13.3 days. Soft tissue cover was provided by plastic surgeons in 31% of all cases. Four cases of superficial wound infection occurred(6%), one case of osteomyelities and one case of flap failure. The limb salvage was greater than 98%. CONCLUSIONS In this series, complications were associated with delayed involvement of plastic surgeons. Retrospective analysis has shown a decreased incidence of open tibial fractures which is reported in similar studies. Gustilo grade was found to correlate with length of hospital admission and plastic surgery intervention. We advocate, when feasible, the use of local fasciocutaneous flaps (such as distally based fasciocutaneous and adipofascial flaps), which showed a low complication rate in children.
AB - INTRODUTION The management of open tibial fractures in children represents a unique reconstructive challenge. The aim of the study was to evaluted the management of paediatric open tibial fractures with particular regard to soft tissue management. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective case-note analysis was performed for all children presenting with an open tibial fracture at a single institution over a 20-year period for 1985 to 2005. RESULTS Seventy children were reviewed of whom 41 were males and 29 females, Overall, 91%(n=64) of children suffered thir injury as a result of a vehicle-related injury. The severity of the fracture with respect to the Gustilo classification was: Grade I, 42%(n=29); Grade II, 24%(n=17); Grade III, 34%(n=24;7 Grade 3a, 16 Grade 3d, 1 Grade 3c). The majority of children were treated with external fixation and conservative measures, with a mean hospital in-patient stay of 13.3 days. Soft tissue cover was provided by plastic surgeons in 31% of all cases. Four cases of superficial wound infection occurred(6%), one case of osteomyelities and one case of flap failure. The limb salvage was greater than 98%. CONCLUSIONS In this series, complications were associated with delayed involvement of plastic surgeons. Retrospective analysis has shown a decreased incidence of open tibial fractures which is reported in similar studies. Gustilo grade was found to correlate with length of hospital admission and plastic surgery intervention. We advocate, when feasible, the use of local fasciocutaneous flaps (such as distally based fasciocutaneous and adipofascial flaps), which showed a low complication rate in children.
KW - Children
KW - Fasciocutaneous flaps
KW - Open tibial fracture
KW - Soft tissue management
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U2 - 10.1308/003588410X12664192075017
DO - 10.1308/003588410X12664192075017
M3 - Review article
C2 - 20501017
AN - SCOPUS:77953625991
SN - 0035-8843
VL - 92
SP - 320
EP - 325
JO - Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
JF - Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
IS - 4
ER -