Muscle transposition for treatment and prevention of chronic post-traumatic osteomyelitis of the tibia

Abstract

There is considerable difference of opinion about how patients with open tibial fractures and considerable loss of skin should be treated. The incidence of long-term complications from such lesions--that is, chronic ulceration and chronic osteomyelitis--apparently is not recorded, but many cases undoubtedly exist and are under treatment by methods that are short of curative. Successful results in forty-three patients were obtained by muscle transposition and delayed skin-grafting. Early coverage of open fractures of the tibia with soft tissue will prevent the later development of osteomyelitis, ulceration, and, perhaps to some extent, non-union.