Results of an open fixation treatment of 131 fractures of the femoral diaphyses in a Congolese hospital setting
Moyikoua, A.; Pena-Pitra, B.; Onzoto, J.M.; Kaya, J.M.; Bouity-Buang, J.C.
Medecine Tropicale Revue du Corps de Sante Colonial 54(3): 249-251
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-682X PMID: 7885206 Document Number: 425722
From 1987 to 1991, 196 fractures of the femoral diaphysis were treated at the University Hospital Center of Brazzaville. A retrospective perusal of the files of these patients produced 131 analyzable cases, all treated by open osteosynthesis using either screw-attached plates (n = 84) or nails (n = 47). The overall infection rate was 5.4% (7/131). This rate was 5.9% (5/84) using screw-attached plates and 4.2% (2/47) using nails, i.e. only slightly higher than in the literature. Bone fixation was successful in 90% of cases. Mechanical complications (11.4%) were due mainly to technical errors during the initial fixation. With a follow-up of 3 years, analysis according to the criteria of GENESTE showed that open osteosynthesis of fractures of the femoral diaphysis in an African orthopedic department led to 90% of good (32%) and excellent (58%) results. In this African series, the main problem was the initial fixation.