To analyze the posterolateral minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) in the treatment of medial open fractures of distal tibia and tibial shaft.

From May 2016 to September 2017, 16 medial open fractures of distal tibia and tibial shaft were treated with posterolateral MIPO at Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital to Anhui University of Science and Technology. They were 10 men and 6 women, from 22 to 61 years of age(average, 36.5 years). According to the Gustilo-Anderson classification, type Ⅰfracture was identified in 5 patients, type Ⅱ fracture in 6 and type Ⅲ fracture in 5. Initially, all the patients received emergency external fixation or calcaneus traction before open reduction and internal fixation was performed when their conditions of soft tissue allowed. X-ray examination of the ankle joint with anteroposterior and lateral views was performed before and after operation. At the last follow-up, the function of ankle joint was evaluated according to the ankle-hindfoot score of American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS).

All the 16 patients were followed up for an average of 15.3 months (from 8 to 24 months). Fracture healing was achieved in all after an average time of 26.1 weeks (from 20 to 36 weeks). There were no such complications as skin necrosis, wound dehiscence, deep infection, implants exposure or failure, or impingement of the flexor hallucis longus. The AOFAS ankle scores averaged 88.6 points (from 74 to 95 points), giving 9 excellent, 6 good and one fair cases. Superficial infection occurred in 2 patients but healed after dressing care. Another case showed 5° varus deformity.

Application of posterolateral MIPO in the treatment of medial open fractures of distal tibia and tibial shaft can effectively protect the medial soft tissue, reduce postoperative wound complications, and safely expose, reduce and fixate the tibial fragments, leading to satisfactory outcomes.

Tibia; Fracture fixation, internal; Surgical operation, minimally invasive; Soft tissue