Abstract:


Background: An open fracture, which indicates a communication between the fracture and the external environment, inevitably involves injury to the soft tissues and the skin over the fracture, characteristically tend to be caused by direct high energy trauma like road traffic crashes. Predictably these high energy incidents not only frequently cause multiple injuries but also significant amount of devitalised soft tissues and contamination which ultimately affect the prognosis of open fractures. This study aimed to analyse the patients admitted with lower limb open fractures to determine the prevalence and associated complications of lower limb open fracture.
Method: A retrospective study design was used. The information of the patients was retrieved from the electronic Health Management System. Frequency tables, pie charts and column graphs were used in data presentation.


Results and discussion: A total of 136 files of patients with 136 open fractures of long bones of the lower limb were enrolled in the study. There were 69 patients who had fractures affecting the left lower limb, 66 affecting the right lower limb, and one affecting both lower limbs. The ages of the patients ranged from 8 to 80 years with a mean age of 34.11 ± 13.67. Majority of the fracture type were Gustilo-Anderson II and III. Grade IIIA was the most common with about 42% cases, followed by grade IIIB with about 27% cases and grade II with about 19% cases. Grade IIIC fractures were in minority with about 13%. The majority of cases were due to road traffic injuries 118 (86.7%) followed by gunshots, fall, crush (other than road traffic injury), assault and sport injury of the remaining cases.
 

Conclusion: Open fractures of long bones of the lower limb involved mostly the young active male population. Road traffic crash accounted for a majority of the cases of open fractures. The tibia was the most fractured long bone and the most common fracture type was grade IIIA. The most common complications were wound infection, chronic osteomyelitis, amputation, mal-union, delayed union, and non-union.