The standard practice of irrigation and debridement (I&D) of open fractures within 6 hours of injury remains controversial.
To prospectively evaluate the effect of the time from injury to the initial I&D on infectious complications.
Design, Setting, and Participants:
Main Outcomes and Measures: Development of local infectious complications at early (<30 days) or late (>30 days and <1 year) intervals from admission.
In this prospective analysis, time to I&D did not affect the development of local infectious complications provided it was performed within 24 hours of arrival.
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.
The standard practice of irrigation and debridement (I&D) of open fractures within 6 hours of injury remains controversial.
To prospectively evaluate the effect of the time from injury to the initial I&D on infectious complications.
Design, Setting, and Participants:
Main Outcomes and Measures: Development of local infectious complications at early (<30 days) or late (>30 days and <1 year) intervals from admission.
In this prospective analysis, time to I&D did not affect the development of local infectious complications provided it was performed within 24 hours of arrival.
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.