Our Self-made Multi-useful External Fixator And It's Clinical Extensive Usage And Relative Biomechanical Study

1 Trans-articular movable external fixator treating peri-articular fractures(1) Trans-articular movable external fixation of severely comminuted and open tibial Pilon fracturesObjective: The authors self-designed a trans-articular movable external fixator in order to treat severely comminuted and open tibial Pilon fractures.Methods: From January 2000 to May 2002, fifteen patients with severely comminuted fractures about the ankle, either severely comminuted Pilon fractures or open Pilon fractures were managed with the self-made trans-articular movable external fixator across the ankle joint combined with limited open reduction and internal fixation using Kirschner wire.Results: All patients were followed-up. Follow-up analysis averaged 10 months (range, 6 to 22 months). Average external fixator time was 3 months, and the time to union averaged 4.5 months. All fractures healed. Two delayed unions required bone grafting and one had plate stabilization. No infection occurred in the 9 open fratures. There was no infection of the closed injuries, no skin sloughs, and only two minor pin tract infection. Range of motion at last follow-up observation was excellent in five patients, good in seven, fair in two, and poor in one. One patient required ankle arthrodesis because of posttraumatic arthritis.Conclusion: The outcomes of the severely comminuted or open fractures of the distal intraarticular tibia treated with trans-articular movable external fixator were fairly good. The fixator can firmly stabilize the fracture while ankle movement can be done earlier. The operation are less-invasive with high union rate and few complications.