Background: Stress fractures are the result of cyclic loading of the bone, which gradually becomes damaged. Most often they are treated by rest or plaster cast and, in rare cases, by internal fixation. There is little published data on initial reposition followed by stabilization with the Ilizarov apparatus in such fractures.
Material and methods: Six patients were treated with an external fixator according to the Ilizarov method for a stress fracture of the tibia between 2007 and 2015. Three patients were initially treated conservatively. Due to increasing tibial deformation, they were qualified for surgical treatment with external stabilization. In the other patients, surgery was the first-line treatment. All patients demonstrated risk factors for a stress fracture. After the surgery, they fully loaded the operated limb.
Results: No patient developed malunion, nonunion, infection or venous thrombosis. The average time from the first operation to the removal of the external fixator was 19 weeks. Radiographic and clinical outcomes were satisfactory in all patients.
Conclusion: 1. The Ilizarov method allows for successful stabilization of stress fractures of the tibia. 2. It may be a good alternative to internal stabilization, especially in patients with multiple comorbidities which affect bone quality and may impair soft tissue healing.