The Treatment of Open Fractures

Patients with open fractures often present with severe soft-tissue injuries, bony injuries, and contamination that requires prompt treatment. Classifying the severity of injury is important for diagnostic and treatment purposes, including administering antibiotic prophylaxis, providing emergency room management, and executing timely surgical intervention. Surgery is performed to minimize contamination, eliminate necrotic and devascularized tissue, provide biological stabilization of the trauma-induced zone of tissue necrosis, and mechanically stabilize the soft tissues and bone. By approaching these fractures in a multi-disciplinary manner, the development of infection after open fractures can be minimized.