Open fractures constitute serious injuries which range from small puncture wounds trauma to high energy traumatic injuries. The British Orthopaedic Association and British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons have established evidence-based instructions for the assessment and management of open fractures in the pre-hospital and hospital setting. BOAST 4 (British Orthopaedic Association Standards for Trauma 4) guidelines have introduced nineteen instructions which are aiming to address the problems that arise in the management of open fractures. Additionally, these guidelines provide detailed guidance to the clinicians regarding the decision-making process and raise awareness for the most common complications in order to enhance patients’ care and safety.
This article aims to review the evidence of BOAST 4 guidelines and suggest modifications based on the current literature.
Keywords:open fracture, BOAST guidelines, management, literature review
