Monitoring of functional outcomes after osteosynthesis for long bone fractures of the lower extremities

Objective: to conduct a comparative evaluation of the functional outcomes of surgical treatment of fractures of the long bones of the lower extremities, using prognostic tests and measures for prevention of infectious complications.

Material and Methods: This study was based on the analysis of the diagnosis and treatment of 110 patients with longbone fractures of the lower extremities. The patients were divided into a study group (n = 51) and a control group (n = 59). Long-term functional outcomes after osteosynthesis for lower-extremity fractures were assessed at 1, 3, and 6 months and at 1 year after surgery using the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS). Functional outcomes were evaluated by means of a patient questionnaire in which specific functions of the affected limb segment were scored.

Results: The functional results obtained indicate that, in the study group, the proportion of excellent functional outcomes after osteosynthesis increased mainly during the period from 1 to 3 months. By month 6, the rate of increase slowed, but by 12 months a marked positive trend was again observed. In the control group, the number of excellent functional outcomes increased mainly during the period from 3 to 6 months after surgery. The most pronounced increase was observed after 6 months and reached its maximum by 12 months after the operation.

Conclusion: The optimized tactical approach used in the study group contributed to an increase in the proportion of excellent and good functional outcomes after osteosynthesis, whereas in the control group, in which the conventional approach was used, good and satisfactory outcomes predominated in both the early and long-term follow-up periods.

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