Open Foot and Ankle Trauma COFAS

Description: Open injuries of the foot and ankle are not as common as open fractures of the long bones and, thus the orthopaedic surgeon manages this problem less frequently. Nevertheless, it is important to adhere to the basic principles that apply to all open fractures: (i) adequate antibiotics, (ii) early irrigation and debridement, (iii) limited dissection of the soft tissue envelope, (iv) adequate reduction with stable fixation, (v) early coverage of tendons, nerves and exposed hardware, (vi) repeat debridement if necessary.
Timothy R. Daniels, M.D., FRCSC