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Overlap of plate fixation, previous pin site increases risk of deep infection
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In two-staged treatment of bicondylar tibial plateau and pilon fractures, placement of definitive plate fixation that overlapped with previous external fixator pin sites significantly increased the risk of deep infection, according to study findings.
To determine the positions of definitive plates in relation to external fixator pin sites, researchers retrospectively evaluated radiographs of 85 Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) 41C bicondylar tibial plateau fractures and 97 OTA 43C pilon fractures treated between 2005 and 2010. Overall, 50 patients were determined to have overlapping pin sites and 132 patients did not. The study’s main outcome measure was presence of deep wound infection.
Study results showed overlap occurred in 33% of OTA C3 fractures, 22% of OTA C2 fractures and 8% of OTA C1 fractures.
According to the researchers, 25 patients developed a deep infection, with 24% of patients in the overlapping group compared with 10% of patients in the non-overlapping group.
Disclosure: See the study for a full list of all authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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