Abstract
One hundred twenty-four consecutive patients with true floating knee injury presented between 1987 and 2001. They were treated with non-operative, operative (external fixation and intramedullary nailing) and combined modalities. Sixty patients were followed up, at an average of 7.2 years, for age, gender, type of trauma and fracture; time to fracture union and time to mobilisation. Complications that were encountered and return to normal activities were recorded. Better and comparable union rates of fractures, earlier return to activities and higher excellent and good long-term functional results were observed among combined and operative (intramedullary nail) groups. Using combined modalities of treatment is an affordable, practicable and effective approach, especially for a resource-poor environment. External fixation of the fractured femur resulted in a decreased range of movement at the knee due to quadriceps muscle fixation. Fractured tibia, treated by any of the method, did not interfere with patient’s joint mobilisation whereas associated injuries did.
Résumé
Cent vingt-quatre malades consécutifs ont présenté un genou flottant traumatique entre 1987 et 2001. Ils ont été traités avec une méthode non—opératoire, une méthode opératoire (fixation externe et enclouage centromédullaire) et une méthode à modalités combinées. Soixante malades ont été suivis pendant une moyenne de 7,2 années en notant l’âge, le genre, le type de trauma et de fracture, la durée de consolidation osseuse, le délai de début de mobilisation, les complications rencontrées et le retour aux activités normales. Parmi les groupes combinés et opératoires (enclouage centromédullaire) ont été observés une meilleure vitesse de consolidation des fractures , une reprise d’activité plus rapide et plus de bons ou très bons résultats fonctionnels. La modalité combinée est une approche accessible et efficace pour un environnement aux ressources limitées. La fixation externe du fémur fracturé a entrainé une diminution de la mobilité du genou à cause de la fixation du quadriceps. La fracture du tibia, quelque soit son traitement, n’interfère pas avec la mobilisation articulaire à la différence des lésions associées
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Footnotes
No financial grant or support was taken from any source for this study.
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