Assessment of the treatment outcome of closed extra-articular distal tibia fracture: IM nailing vs plating

  Abstract   Background: The tibial diaphyseal fractures are the most common type of long   bone fractures encountered by most orthopedic surgeons. In accordance with descriptive indices of tibia fractures on the basis of their location in the bone, distal tibia   fractures have the second incidence of all tibia fractures after the middle tibia fractures.   The purpose of the study was to assess the complications and treatment outcome   of closed extra-articular distal tibia fracture.   Methods: The results of the management for 76 patients with closed extra-articular   distal tibia fracture by intramedullary nailing and plating were reviewed retrospectively.   The variables included AO (Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Osteosynthesefragen)   classification of tibia fracture, the mean duration of :::union:::, mal:::union:::, and   non:::union:::.   Results: Twenty seven and forty nine patients were treated by intramedullary   (IM) nailing and plating respectively. The most common type of fractures was A1   which was observed in twenty five patients. Initial :::union::: and non:::union::: occurred in   sixty three and thirteen patients respectively. Eight patients had non:::union::: in plating   group and five of twenty seven patients in IM nailing group. Eleven of twenty seven   patients in IM nailing group suffered from mal:::union::: while only four patients in the   other group had this complication.   Conclusion: The plating Technique in comparison with IM nailing has a satisfactory   functional outcome. The technique has a lower incidence of mal:::union::: and   non:::union:::, and it should be recommended as a good treatment option for the management of extra-articular closed fracture of distal tibia.