External Fixation in Polytrauma Patients from Low and Middle Income Countries – A Case Report

External Fixation in Polytrauma Patients from Low and Middle Income Countries – A Case Report

Gopalkrishnan Murugesan , Vivek Udayachandran
Saveetha Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, India

Road traffic accidents is the largest cause of death in the age group of 15-29(1). It has been reported that India has one of the highest mortality rate from RTA in the world and polytrauma cases comprised 13.3% of all adult trauma cases. Time, cost, infrastructure, availability of implants, surgical expertise and complications are important factors when it comes to selection of the limited treatment choices available in low and middle income countries (LMIC)(5). The case report below explores the feasibility of external fixation in patients with pelvic and long bone fractures from LMIC.

The report comprises of the clinical, radiological findings and the management of a polytrauma patient from LMIC. This study implies the efficacy and wide use of external fixators in developing countries. It has been shown that, if used properly, external fixators can treat bone and with low risk and reasonably high success rates. The early management of fractures reduces significant mortality which has been possible for the above patient. However the study limits to a case report. The high cost of commercially available devices sent a dilemma to our health care which puts emphasis to the need for locally manufacture external fixators to avoid burden of imported devices in our health care systems. Different studies have demonstrated the superiority of surgical fixation over conservative methods but several factors impose a roadblock to adoption of these methods. Also, the mortality and morbidity of polytrauma patients depends on other extraneous factors and a multidisciplinary approach with rehabilitation is needed.