The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical effect of the treatment of open fractures of the leg using free flap in combination with external fixation, in order to improve the therapeutic outcomes. A retrospective analysis including 70 cases of leg open fracture patients between May 2010 and February 2013 was conducted. The patients were categorized into two groups: the control group of 35 patients, treated with the use of external fixation; and the observational group of 35 patients in the control group treated on the basis of the addition of free flap. Clinical effects were compared between the two groups after treatment. From the viewpoint of clinical effects, the number of cases in the control group with excellent, good, fair, and poor outcomes were found to be 6, 13, 11, and 5, respectively, and the respective ratios were 17.14, 37.14, 31.43, and 14.29 %; the number of cases in the observational group with excellent, good, fair, and poor outcomes were 15, 10, 8, and 2, respectively, with the respective ratios being 42.86, 28.57, 22.86, and 5.71 %, respectively; there were significant differences (p < 0.05); two groups in the use of antibiotics in the number of days, number of dressing changes, debridement to terminal operation time, the number of operations, length of stay, time of pain had more significant differences (p < 0.05); term complication of the control group was 45.71 %, and the long-term complication rate was 54.29 %; in the observational group, recent complication rate was 17.14 %, and the long-term complication was 20 %-with the two groups being significantly different (p < 0.05), and the above being statistically significant. The long-term effect for the group treated with the free flap in combination with external fixation for leg open fractures is good.
