Overview of case studies

What we learn from our patients & doctors

In every corner of the globe where physicians associated with the Open Fractures project attend to patients, we advocate for thorough patient follow-up and mutual learning through the compilation of case studies. These case studies narrate the circumstances of the fracture, the patient's path to treatment, the provided care, and their condition in the long term. Both patients and doctors contribute their narratives to enhance the quality of care. 

Currently, we are working to complete cases in Tanzania, Uganda, the Netherlands, and Sierra Leone. Check back soon to see the complete case studies!
Every patient tells a story, 
so do their doctors.

Open Fracture cases

Distal tibia non-union

This case describes a 28-year-old man who presented with an infected tibial-fibular non-union, two years after sustaining an open tibia–fibula fracture in a road traffic accident. Despite initial treatment by a traditional healer and surgical management at Masanga Hospital, the fracture failed to unite. One year later after initial treatment, the patient presented with a […]

Femur Shaft

This case concerns a 31-year-old woman who sustained a Gustilo–Anderson grade II open, multifragmentary fracture of the mid-shaft of her left femur following a road-traffic accident. Management took place at Masanga Hospital in Sierra Leone, a low-resource setting, where she underwent open reduction and definitive external fixation using a dual-frame construction.

Tibia Shaft Bone Loss

This case involves a 21-year-old man who sustained a Gustilo–Anderson grade 3B open tibial shaft fracture of the right leg following a road-traffic accident. He presented with substantial soft tissue damage and segmental dead bone, which resulted in a large bone defect after debridement. He was treated at Kiruddu Hospital in Kampala using external fixation […]

Femur Shaft

This case involves a 50-year-old man who sustained a Gustilo grade 2 open femur shaft fracture of the left leg after a motorbike accident. He was treated in Masanga Hospital in Sierra Leone.

Tibia Shaft

This case involves a 62-year-old man who sustained an open fracture of the left tibia after a motorbike accident. He was treated in Haydom Lutheran Hospital in Tanzania.