The operative treatment of tibial shaft fractures: a review of 277 cases.

From 1978 to 1982 two hundred and seventy seven consecutive fractures of the tibial shaft were treated in our centre of traumatic surgery. One hundred and fifty-three were closed fractures and one hundred and twenty-four open. Seven required amputations, eleven patients died to associated lesions. Twenty-one patients did not show up for the follow-up. The remainder two hundred and thirty-eight patients were followed-up for an average time of nineteen months. In the closed fractures the rate of deep infection was 0.74 percent and the rate of non-union was 1.48 percent. In the open fractures the rate of deep infection was 5.7 percent. The end results were good in more than 90 percent of the closed and in more than 80 percent of the open fractures.