Early clinical outcomes of gunshot isolated fibular fractures treated non-operatively at an urban academic hospital

Abstract

Objectives: To report the outcomes of wound infection and to determine the outcomes of fracture union.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients who sustained gunshot isolated fibular shaft fractures that were treated non-operatively with antibiotics at our academic hospital between June 2017 and May 2020.

Results: A total of 35 isolated fibular fracture cases were reviewed from medical records. A total 15 gunshot isolated fibular fractures were identified from which, three were excluded due to operative intervention. A total of 12 cases were finally included with 11 (91.7%) males and 1 (8.3%) female and an average age of 36.4 years. Sixty-seven per cent of the injuries involved the right-hand side and 33% on the left-hand side. Union was achieved by 91.7% (n = 11) patients, all (100%) patients had good soft tissue results, and identified complications included non-union, synostosis and nerve injury.

Conclusions: All cases of isolated fibular shaft gunshot wounds healed without infection with the intravenous antibiotic treatment instituted and fracture union was observed. Our study supports the non-operative management of low velocity gunshot isolated fibular shaft fractures.