A comparison of monolateral and circular external fixation of unstable diaphyseal tibial fractures in children.

Forty-six tibial fractures in 44 children, which were treated by external fixation at our institution between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 1999, were retrospectively identified. Twenty-nine fractures were treated with monolateral fixation and 16 were treated with circular fixation. The average age of the patients was 11 years 8 months (range 3 years 11 months-17 years 7 months).