title: [The effect of soft tissue repairing at different times on the union of type III b tibial fracture].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of soft tissue repairing at different times on the union of type III b tibial fracture.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 1987 to January 1999, seventy-six type III b tibial fractures were divided into 3 groups: early group(0 to 7 days), subacute group(8 to 30 days), late group(more than 30 days) according to the time of soft tissue repairing. The morbidity rates of complications such as infection, nonunion as well as the time to union were compared respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Followed up for 10 to 36 months (averaged 24 months), the infection and nonunion rates of early group were lower than that of subacute and late groups(P < 0.01), the average time of fracture union of early group was less than that of subacute and late groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early soft tissue repairing can decrease the complications and the time to union of Type III b tibial fracture obviously. The time of "early" should be limited in one week and as soon as possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang Liaoning, P. R. China, 110003.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: L Q
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*