2022 COA Annual Meeting : What Predicts Change in Gustilo-Anderson Classification at Time of Surgery? A Secondary Analysis of a Multicenter, Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

2420 patients with open fractures participating in the Fluid Lavage of Open Wounds (FLOW) trial were included in this secondary analysis investigating which injury/patient factors are associated with an increased Gustilo Anderson Classification (GAC) from pre-operative assessment to definitive assessment (after operative debridement of the wound), and whether an upgraded GAC is associated with an increased risk of surgical site infection. Results found that patients who had a lower initial GAC classification, who had a fracture in a site other than the tibia, and who had bone or skin loss at presentation were associated with upgraded GAC. No association between upgraded GAC and surgical site infection was observed.