Abstract

Twenty patients who had been treated with Ilizarov external fixation for a Gustilo grade IIIB supracondylar fracture of the femur were functionally assessed 12 to 52 months after treatment . Fourteen fractures were type C3 and 6 were type C2 according to the AO classification. Fractures were united at an average of 39 ± 9 weeks. There was a final knee extension deficit of 5° to 10° (12.2° ± 3.5°) and flexion reached 110° ± 10° in type C2 and 73° ± 36° in C3 supracondylar fractures. Forty percent of the supracondylar fractures had 4cm shortening and 40% had 1.5 cm. Pin-track infection occurred in 21%. Half of the C3 fracture cases had problems with pain on walking, needed support and had pain at rest, whereas no patients had difficulty getting out of a chair, going up and down stairs. However, all C2 type fractures had problems with all types of function.