Abstract:[Objective] To compare the clinical outcomes of hexapod external fixator (HEF) versus unilateral external fixator (UEF) for open tibial shaft fractures. [Methods] A retrospective study was performed on 123 patients who had open tibial shaft fractures treated in our hospital from June 2017 to September 2019. According to the results of doctor-patient communication, 72 patients received HEF, while the remaining 51 patients were used UEF. The perioperative period, follow-up and imaging data were compared between the two groups. [Results] All the patients in both groups had operation finished successfully. The HEF group proved significantly superior to the UEF in terms of the number of postoperative frame adjustment and time to resume postoperative weight-bearing activity (P<0.05), but the former costed significantly more than the latter (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in operation time, intraoperative fluoroscopy times, time to stand on ground and hospital stay between the two groups (P>0.05). All the patients were followed up for (26.5±1.3) months on an average, and the HEF group had the external fixator removed significantly earlier than the UEF group (P<0.05). The knee and ankle flexion- exten- sion ROM significantly improved over time in both groups (P<0.05), whereas which were not significant different between the two groups at any corresponding time points (P>0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in Johner-Wruhs grade, as well as claudication and squatting scales between the two groups at the latest follow-up (P<0.05). Radiographically, fracture alignment and tibial shortening were significantly improved in both groups with postoperative time (P<0.05). The HEF group proved significantly superior to the UEF in terms of fracture healing time on images, as well as the fracture alignment and tibial shortening at the latest follow-up (P<0.05). [Conclusion] The HEF for open tibial shaft fractures does improve the quality of fracture reduction, and shorten the time of frame bearing and fracture healing compared with the traditional UEF.