[Treatments of tibial Pilon fractures with a combination of limited internal fixation and external fixation].
OBJECTIVE
To summarize the effect and complication of treatment for Pilon fracture using limited internal fixation combined with external fixation.


METHODS
From April 1996 to June 2003, 20 patients with Pilon fracture were treated with limited internal fixation combined with external fixation as the treatment group and 22 patients with Pilon fracture with other methods as the control group. The X-ray films, clinical effect and complication were analyzed and compared between 2 groups.


RESULTS
All cases were followed up for 8 to 26 months (15.2 months on average). According to Helfet's criterion for clinical effect, the excellent and good rates were 75% in the treatment group and 72.7% in the control group, being no significant difference (P > 0.05). According to Burwell-charnley criterion for reduction, the X-ray film results showed the excellent and good rates were 90% in the treatment group and 86.4% in the control group, being no significant difference (P > 0.05). But there was significant difference in complications between 2 groups (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Limited internal fixation combined with external fixation is better in resuming ankle joint function and remarkably reducing complication, especially in reducing soft tissue complication and collapse of bone joint; it is useful in the treatment of Pilon fracture.
Xiao
Rui
R
Department of Orthopaedics, First People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin Sichuan 644000, P R China. xiaoweirui690426@163.com
Tang
Qiang
Q
Cai
Cheng
C
D000328:Adult; D001915:Braces; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018460:Fractures, Comminuted / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult