• Jin Park and Kyu Hyun Yang.
• Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Medical School and Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Chonbuk National University, 634-18, Geumam-dong, Dukjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, 561-712, Republic of Korea. parkjinos@gmail.com
• Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2012 Aug 1;132(8):1121-4.

AbstractThe treatment of open distal tibia fractures remains challenging, particularly when the fracture is infected and involves segmental bone loss. We report the case of a 38-year-old man who sustained an open distal tibiofibular fracture with segmental bone loss and a closed proximal tibial fracture. The fractures were initially fixed with a temporary external fixator. The open distal tibial fracture was infected, and the skin was covered after the wound became culture negative. The tibia was then internally transported with a ring external fixator; the closed fracture of the proximal tibia served as the corticotomy for internal transport without conventional corticotomy. After 5 cm internal transport, the docking site of the distal tibia was fixed with a locking plate and autogenous cancellous bone graft. Bone graft was also used to the distal tibiofibular space to achieve distal tibiofibular synostosis. We describe one treatment option for an infected open fracture of the distal tibia with segmental bone loss that is accompanied by a closed fracture of the proximal tibia. This method can treat two fractures simultaneously.

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