Results of surgical treatment of tibial pilon fractures

Authors

  • Juan Bernardo Gerstner Full professor, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
  • Edward Walteros Orthopedics and Traumatology fourth-year resident, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
  • Mauricio Zuluaga Adjunct professor, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.

Keywords:

Tibial Fractures, Intra-Articular Fractures, Complications

Abstract

Introduction: Pilon fractures remain one of the difficult chapters in trauma patients, in spite of modern diagnostic tools and internal fixation, because the prognosis and early complications of surgical methods are not very good. The aim of this study was to determine the demographic variables of patients and their evolution according to a reliable and prognostic classification.

Methods: We designed a descriptive study of cases of pilon fracture surgically treated at the Hospital Universitario del Valle, Cali, Colombia, between October 2004 and October 2007. We assessed demographic variables, classification and evolution of trauma, and complications.

Results: We selected 28 patients with a mean age of 39.4 years (range 17 to 74 years). We found a direct correlation between the degree of involvement of soft tissue and articular comminution regarding the incidence of early and late complications (42.9%) and other variables like the experience of the surgeon, the initial soft tissue treatment, and adherence to the rehabilitation protocol.

Discussion: The initial classification of trauma including soft tissue and bone, the surgical opportunity and osteosynthesis materials availability, the experience of the surgeon for soft tissue management, early fracture fixation and individual rehabilitation, are the keys to obtain the best results in the treatment of pilon fractures.

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References

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Published

2011-03-01

How to Cite

1.
Gerstner JB, Walteros E, Zuluaga M. Results of surgical treatment of tibial pilon fractures. Rev. Colomb. Ortop. Traumatol. [Internet]. 2011 Mar. 1 [cited 2026 Mar. 16];25(1):24-8. Available from: https://revistasccotorg.biteca.online/index.php/rccot/article/view/687

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 1 (2011)

Section

Original research

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Sociedad Colombiana de Ortopedia y Traumatología

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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