Percutaneous fixation of comminuted fractures of the femur and tibia. Preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE To present initial experience of treating patients with comminuted fractures of the diaphyseal and metaphyseal areas of the femur and tibia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Sixteen patients were involved in the study. All the 16 patients (11 males and 5 females, average age 34 years) with closed, comminuted fractures of femur (n = 9) and tibia (n = 7) were operated on using the principle of minimal access surgery and biological fixation that maximally preserved the soft tissues and fracture hematoma. RESULTS All the fractures united, operated limbs had good function, and no complications occurred. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that minimal access surgery is a useful fixation method in the treatment of comminuted diaphyseal and metaphyseal fractures of the femur and tibia.