Early vs delayed intervention in compound tibial fractures

Orthopedic trauma involving leg constitutes one of the commonly involved practice by every surgeon. With the advent of increasing motor vehicle accidents the practice is increasing day by day. The injury ranges from closed to open and may extend to degloving of skin. Fracture pattern may include simple to comminuted and may involved segmental fracture patterns. The study involves analysis of 100 cases presented with compound 3b tibia fracture between Feb. 2018 to Dec. 2019. Degloving injuries and segmental tibia fractures are being excluded from study. Patients were followed for about 1 yr postoperatively. The results are evaluated and analysed in terms of early and delayed complications and functional results of procedure. The results shows favourable outcome in cases operated early usually within 12 hr of injury. The chief reason being the break in microbial exponential growth due to early debridement and closure of soft tissue defects. Repeated debridement can be beneficial but persist ant open wounds predispose to added infections and has chances of increased soft tissue loss with time.