Objective: To investigate the clinical treatment of unilateral external fixation for severe open fractures of the tibia and fibula in different parts and joint recovery situation. Methods: Retrospective analysis from January 2013 to January 2015, a total tibiofibula treated patients with severe open fracture line of unilateral external fixation treatment, depending on the fracture site all the patients were divided into three groups, Group A of 12 patients, the proximal end of the tibia and fibula fractures or affected knee, the knee fixed needs across fixed, group B 30 cases of fracture of the tibia and fibula in the middle, without cross joint fixation, group C 18 cases of tibia and fibula far end or spread ankle fracture, the need to cross the ankle fixed. All the patients were treated with external fixation, and healing of fracture, the function of ankle and the clinical effects were observed and compared before and after the treatment. Results: All operations were successful, with no adverse events, lower limb function excellent rate in group A was 83.3%; group B was 96.7%; group C was 83.3%. Lower extremity functional recovery group B and A, the difference compared with group C was statistically significant (P <0.05), group A and group C had no significant difference (P compared to> 0.05). Group A of knee, ankle excellent function of the knee were 66.7% and 91.7% of ankle; group B was 93.3% in the knee, ankle was 96.7%; group C was 94.4% for the knee, ankle was 72.2%. The differences between group A and group B, group A and group C were statistically significant, while the difference between group B and group C was not statistically significant. Compared with group A and group B, the ankle function recovery in group C showed statistically significant difference (P<0.05); There was no statistically significant difference about the ankle function recovery between group and group B (P>0.05). Conclusion: The unilateral external fixation has better effects on the treatment of tibiofibula at different stages with better joint recovery, which is worthy of clinical promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]