Biomaterial Database

Open type IIIB and IIIC fractures treated by an orthopaedic microsurgical team. 1995

P N Soucacos, and A E Beris, and T A Xenakis, and K N Malizos, and M D Vekris

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Ioannina, School of Medicine, Greece.

An orthopaedic team with an extensive microsurgical background treated 46 patients with open fractures, 22 Type IIIB and 24 IIIC, of the upper and lower extremities during the past 10 years. All 24 patients with Type IIIC fractures and 12 with IIIB fractures had associated arterial injuries. In all patients from both categories, an effort was made to revascularize the limbs using microsurgical techniques and to stabilize the fractures as early as possible. Of the Type IIIC fractures, 16 were in the lower extremity and 8 in the upper extremity. Of the Type IIIB injuries, 8 were in the lower and 14 in the upper extremity. Of the limbs with Type IIIC fractures, 13 (54.2%) were salvaged and 11 (45.8%) were amputated. The latter was related to the proportionally high number of tibial fractures (13 of 24), 8 of which were amputated. None of the patients with Type IIIB injuries underwent amputation. These results suggest that limb salvage in Type IIIB and, particularly, Type IIIC injuries was associated with the application of microsurgical techniques to restore complete (Type IIIC) and incomplete (Type IIIB) ischemia. The number of amputations in Type IIIC fractures was attributed to the open tibial injuries, which are reported to have an amputation rate ranging from 60% to 100%.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007869	Leg Injuries	General or unspecified injuries involving the leg.	Injuries, Leg,Injury, Leg,Leg Injury
D008297	Male		Males
D008866	Microsurgery	The performance of surgical procedures with the aid of a microscope.
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010525	Peripheral Nerves	The nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, including the autonomic, cranial, and spinal nerves. Peripheral nerves contain non-neuronal cells and connective tissue as well as axons. The connective tissue layers include, from the outside to the inside, the epineurium, the perineurium, and the endoneurium.	Endoneurium,Epineurium,Perineurium,Endoneuriums,Epineuriums,Nerve, Peripheral,Nerves, Peripheral,Perineuriums,Peripheral Nerve
D010543	Peroneal Nerve	The lateral of the two terminal branches of the sciatic nerve. The peroneal (or fibular) nerve provides motor and sensory innervation to parts of the leg and foot.	Fibular Nerve,Fibular Nerves,Nerve, Fibular,Nerve, Peroneal,Nerves, Fibular,Nerves, Peroneal,Peroneal Nerves
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D005260	Female		Females
D005592	Fracture Fixation	The use of metallic devices inserted into or through bone to hold a fracture in a set position and alignment while it heals.	Skeletal Fixation,Fracture Reduction,Fixation, Fracture,Fixation, Skeletal,Fixations, Fracture,Fixations, Skeletal,Fracture Fixations,Fracture Reductions,Reduction, Fracture,Reductions, Fracture,Skeletal Fixations
D005597	Fractures, Open	Fractures in which there is an external wound communicating with the break of the bone.	Fractures, Compound,Compound Fracture,Compound Fractures,Fracture, Compound,Fracture, Open,Open Fracture,Open Fractures