Temporary fixation
Temporary stabilization of the tibia is chosen in situations where future débridements are felt to be necessary. This is most common in the high-grade open fractures.
Temporary stabilization, usually achieved with an external fixator, minimizes additional soft-tissue injury. This fixation facilitates access to the wound for inspection between débridements.
It also allows simple, rapid disassembly for repeated wound débridements when necessary.