In the Cost-conscious Era: Ilizarov Circular Frame or Uniplanar External Fixator for Management of Open Tibia Shaft Fracture, Retrospective Cohort Study From a Level-1 Trauma Center

Tibial shaft fracture is a common injury worldwide. Their treatment, prognosis, and outcome are determined by the mechanism of injury, presence of communition, soft tissue injury and displacement. In developing countries, lack of education,socioeconomic backgrounds, delay in presentation and appropriate planning for surgery add further to complicate the situation and may end in delayed union, non-union, multiple surgeries and ultimate results in increased morbidity. This study was conducted to determine the outcome of open tibia shaft fracture treated with Ilizarov or AO External Fixator. It was retrospective Cohort study. Two groups were compared in terms of fracture healing, mechanism of injury, fracture classification, Participant's ambulation at discharge, New Injury Severity Score (NISS), duration of hospital stay, duration of fracture union, need for secondary procedures and complications. Investigators concluded that circular fixator application has favorable outcomes for Gustilo grade III open tibial shaft fractures as compared to uniplanar external fixator.