title: Functional outcomes after tibial shaft fractures treated using the Taylor spatial frame.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze functional and radiologic outcomes of tibial shaft fractures treated with the Taylor spatial frame (TSF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective follow-up study of radiologic and functional outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  University teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2006 to December 2012, prospective data were collected for 56 consecutive patients completing treatment of a tibial shaft fracture with the TSF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment of tibial shaft fractures, including those with simple extension into the knee or ankle joints, using the TSF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Residual deformity on x-ray and functional outcomes using the EQ-5D health status questionnaire, Iowa Knee and Ankle Evaluation Rating System scores, and Olerud and Molander Ankle score were recorded 1 year after frame removal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average residual deformity was 1.8 degrees in the coronal and 1.6 degrees in the sagittal planes. EQ-5D outcomes showed patients returning to a health status no different from scores for the UK population as a whole. Iowa Knee scores demonstrated "good" or "excellent" outcomes in 87.3% of our cohort (mean, 90). Ankle Evaluation Rating System scores and Olerud and Molander Ankle scores showed "good" or "excellent" outcomes in 76.8% and 89.3% of our cohort, respectively (mean, 84.1 and 84).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of the TSF for treatment of tibial fractures, with support from a dedicated limb reconstruction rehabilitation team, has a number of technical advantages while producing good functional and surgical outcomes, with patients recovering to a pre-injury health status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barron
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hadland
authors.forename: Hemant K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult