Role of early Ilizarov ring fixator in the definitive management of type II, IIIA and IIIB open tibial shaft fractures

We evaluated the results of patients with Gustilo types II, IIIA and IIIB open tibial fractures managed early with the Ilizarov external fixator (IEF). Sixty patients (51 males, nine females; age range 20–62 years; mean age 32.8 years) with type II (11 patients), type IIIA (13) and type IIIB (36) tibial diaphyseal fractures underwent emergency debridement and minimal bone fixation (with external fixator), followed by definite fixation with the IEF after three to five days. Average duration of the hospital stay was 8.6 days. All fractures united with an average union time of 21.1 weeks (standard deviation [SD] 3.18) in type II, 21.7 weeks (SD 3.57) in IIIA and 24. 9 weeks (SD 5.14) in IIIB fractures. The difference between union time in type II and IIIA was not significant ( p > 0.05), but that between IIIA (and also type II) and IIIB was significant ( p