Swiss surgery = Schweizer Chirurgie = Chirurgie suisse = Chirurgia svizzera
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Floating Joint Injuries (FJI) are resulting from high energy traumas and are often combined with additional neuro/vascular damage. The high incidence of severe open or closed soft tissue injuries is complicating the initial management and requires a broad surgical know-how also in minimal-invasive fixation techniques. In a retrospective analysis of our cases treated between 1980 and 1995, we try to find out some important therapeutical feedback for the future. ⋯ FJI should be stabilised as soon as possible in a way allowing for early functional aftercare of the affected joint. Most complications are observed in the proximal tibia fracture because of the thin and therefore often severely (open or closed) injured soft tissue cover. Despite a staged procedure, there exists a high complication rate, which probably can be reduced in the future by the single-step use of the hybrid external fixateur.