ABSTRACT

Distal femur intraarticular open fractures are among the most diffucult ones to treat * GATA Ortopedi ve Travmatoloji AD **600 Yt. Ankara Mevki Asker Hastanesi Ayrı basım isteği: Dr. Sabri Ateşalp, GATA Ortopedi ve Travm. AD, Etlik-06018, Ankara E-mail: [email protected] Makalenin geliş tarihi: 18.02.2005 Kabul edilme tarihi: 21.03.2005 for orthopedists. Thirty-four patients with distal femur intraarticular open fractures were treated by circular external fixator at the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Gülhane Military Medical Academy between January 1996 and December 2000. According to the classifi-cation of Gustillo-Anderson, 10 patients (29.4%) were Type II, 14 (41.1%) were Type IIIA, eight (23.6%) were Type IIIB, and two (5.9%) were Type IIIC. Our average follow up period was 49.4 (29-72) months. External fixators were removed after an average of 19.9 (15-33) weeks following radiological callus formation. Union was achieved in all cases. Circular external fixator protects the fracture hematoma and periosteal supply, results in minimal blood loss during operation, shortens the period of operation, enables early knee movement and weight bearing by providing sufficient stabilization, and thus, is a method of choice in the treatment of distal femur intraarticular open fractures.