Our experience with primary open reduction with rigid internal fixation of 50 open fractures is presented. Twenty-seven patients had associated major multiple trauma. Twenty fractures were articular and 26 involved 3rd-degree wounds. The infection rate was 4%. A system of staged sequential debridement and wound management is presented. The authors believe this system has contributed to the low infection rate. No secondary amputations occurred. Eighty-two per cent of the patients had good functional results using Charnley's criteria. Fatal post-traumatic cardiopulmonary failure did not occur. The authors feel that early definitive fracture care employing rigid fixation which avoids casts, and allows improved wound management and early mobilization of the multiple-trauma patient, has decreased the cardiopulmonary and metabolic consequences commonly associated with polytrauma patient care.