Medisur (Oct 2017)
Use of RALCA® external fixator in open fractures. 14 year experience
Abstract
Foundation: In an open fracture there is penetration of bone through the skin with an accompanying lesion, of varying severity, in the underlying soft tissue. External fixators are ideal systems for their treatment. Objective: to evaluate the evolution of patients with open fractures in whom the RALCA ® external fixator was used as part of the treatment.Methods: A prospective, longitudinal study of 253 patients attended between January 2000 and December 2014 at the Julio Aristegui Villamil Hospital with the diagnosis of open fracture, who were placed an external RALCA® fixator. It was analyzed: trauma etiology, location and type of fracture, presence of infection, non-union, need for other surgical interventions, follow-up time, consolidation time and incorporation into active social life. Results: Male patients (62.4%), between 30 and 50 years (49.7%), with open fractures, type I (33.5%) and II (25.2%) Gustilo, caused by traffic accidents (44.6%), more frequent in the tibia (41.8%) were the most frequent. The use of the RALCA® external fixator made it possible to apply multiplane (58.1%) and compression of the fracture focus (85.3%) to stimulate consolidation. In 4.7% of the patients there was a need for another surgical intervention. The time of consolidation varied depending on the magnitude of soft tissue damage. Conclusions: the versatility of RALCA® external fixator assemblies allows it to be used as a method of osteosynthesis in open fractures of different locations; it stabilizes the lesion and protects the vascular supply of the soft tissue to the bone tissue.
