The successful treatment of a Gustilo–Anderson type IIIc distal leg injury with a large bone defect in elderly patient with severe osteoporosis: a case report

BACKGROUND: Gustilo–Anderson type IIIc tibial open fracture with large bone defects in elderly patients with severe osteoporosis is a rare injury that may be a challenging clinical scenario. CASE PRESENTATION: This study presents the case of a 68-year-old Japanese man who sustained a Gustilo–Anderson type IIIc open tibial fracture with a large bone defect. The patient had severe osteoporosis and the bone was contaminated; therefore, we determined that the bone could not be returned to the tibia. The patient underwent acute limb shortening and gradual lengthening with an Ilizarov external fixator combined with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound and teriparatide administration for limb reconstruction, which allowed immediate full weight-bearing capacity. The fixator was removed at 12 months postoperatively, and by this time, the fracture had completely healed. At the most recent 5-year follow-up after the injury, the patient reported full weight-bearing capacity without walking aids and had full knee and ankle range of motion. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the use of combined Ilizarov technique, low-intensity pulsed ultrasound, and teriparatide for limb reconstruction of Gustilo–Anderson type IIIc open tibial fractures with large bone defects in elderly patients with severe osteoporosis.