- Discussion:
- history:
Intramedullary nailing in fracture treatment: History, science and Küntscher's revolutionary influence in Vienna, Austria
-
healing and prognosis of tibia fracture
- PreOp Planning:
- Contra-indications:
- open growth plates; (
pediatric tibial frx);
- fractures w/ 4 cm of the ankle joint;
-
previous application of external fixator (relative contraindication - controversial);
-
proximal fourth tibial fractures (relative contraindication - controversial)
- Soft tissue injury:
-
Open tibial frx (
Gustillo classification):
-
Reconstruction for leg defects:
- Comminution: (see
Winquist classification):
- Technique of IM Nailing:
- Outcomes for IM Nails vs Other Treatment Methods:
-
external fixation vs IM nailing for tibial frx
-
Klemm and Borner (1986);
- 401 tibial fractures: 308 closed, 93 open grade I (delayed nailing)
- 81% of frx were considered unstable to shortening or rotation;
- 94% w/ good to excellent results, 2.2% deep infection
-
Puno, et. al. (1986)
- 201 tibial fractures: AO type reamed slotted tibial nail w/ closed technique versus closed
reduction w/
cast application;
- IM nail: 98% union rate (no malunions), 3.3% infection rate;
-
cast immobilzation:
- 90.1% unions, 4.3% malunions, 1.4% infections;
- initially 13% of fractures lost the reduction and required operation;
-
Bone and Johnson
- 76 primary fractures and 36 2ndary fractures (exfix/closed failures)
- using AO or Grosse-Kemph IM Nailing;
- union rate: 97% for both groups;

- time to union: primary group: av 17.8 weeks vs secondary group: av 21.6 weeks
- infection: 9% - mostly pts rx'ed w/ open procedures or open frx;
-
Bone, et al (1997)
- retrospective study of 99 patients w/ closed tibial shaft fractures treated either w/ cast or IM nail;
- avg. time to union w/ IM nail was 18 weeks vs 26 weeks with a cast;
- non-union occur in 2% of IM nail patients vs 10% in casted patients;
- 26 of 47 patients requested that the IM nail be removed;
- IM nail group had higher Iowa knee and ankle evaluation rating system scores than casted group;
- references:
-
Treatment of tibial fractures by reaming and intramedullary nailing.
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Interlocking nailing of complex fractures of the femur and tibia
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Critical analysis of results of treatment of 201 tibial shaft fractures
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Displaced isolated fractures of the tibial shaft treated with either a cast or IM nailing. An outcome with analysis of matched pairs of patients.
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The use of the Lottes nail in the treatment of closed and open tibial shaft fractures.
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Conservative management or closed nailing for tibial shaft fractures. A randomised prospective trial.
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Locked intramedullary nailing for displaced tibial shaft fractures
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Infection after intramedullary nailing of the tibia. Incidence and protocol for management.
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Diagnosis and management of infection after tibial intramedullary nailing.
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Unstable fractures of the tibia treated with a reamed intramedullary interlocking nail.
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Radiographic analysis of tibial fracture malalignment following intramedullary nailing.
-
Comparison of functional bracing and locked intramedullary nailing in the treatement of displaced tibial shaft fractures.
- Use of IM Nails in Open Fractures: (see
open tibial frx and
exchange nailing)
- references:
-
The use of the Lottes nail in the treatment of closed and open tibial shaft fractures.
-
Locked intramedullary nailing of open tibial fractures.
-
Treatment of open fractures of the tibial shaft with the use of interlocking nailing without reaming.
-
Infection after intramedullary nailing of the tibia. Incidence and protocol for management.
-
Diagnosis and management of infection after tibial intramedullary nailing.
-
Prospective study of union rate of open tibial fractures with locked unreamed intramedullary nails.
-
Closed intramedullary tibial nailing: its use in closed and type I open fractures.
-
Lower infection rate after interlocking nailing in open fractures of the femur and tibia.
Treatment of infected non-unions and segmental defects of the tibia with staged microvascular muscle transplantation and bone-grafting.
Treatment of unstable tibial shaft fractures by closed intramedullary nailing with flexible (Ender-type) pins.
Locked nailing for nonunion of the tibia.
Open intramedullary nailing and bone-grafting for non-union of tibial diaphyseal fracture.
The use of Ender nails in fractures of the tibial shaft.
The treatment of 143 tibial shaft fractures by Ender's nailing and early weight-bearing.
Flexible medullary nailing of acute tibial shaft fractures.
The timing of flap coverage, bone-grafting, and intramedullary nailing in patients who have a fracture of the tibial shaft with extensive soft-tissue injury.
Validation of a standardised gait score to predict the healing of tibial fractures