COMPARISON OF EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT NAIL TIP POSITIONS ON ANTERIOR KNEE PAIN AFTER INTRAMEDULLARY INTERLOCKING NAILING FOR TIBIAL SHAFT FRACTURES

Objective: To determine the frequency of anterior knee pain after intramedullary interlocking nailing in tibial shaft fractures and to compare the intensity of anterior knee pain between positive and negative anterior cortex nail groups.Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Oct 2018 to Apr 2019. Methodology: 100 cases of tibial shaft fracture were divided into two groups according to anterior cortex nail distance. Patients 18-40 years of age of both genders, closed fractures, Gustilo Andersen I open tibial diaphyseal fractures and nail tip more than 5mm from tibial tuberosity were included. Patients with osteoarthritis, pathological fractures, renal disease, open fracture GA-II & GA-III and knee instability were excluded from the study. Both groups with positive and negative anterior cortex nail distance were compared for pain using the chi-square test. Results: Frequency of anterior knee pain after intramedullary interlocking nailing in tibial shaft fractures was found in 24% of patients. 8 (16%) out of 50 patients in the group with nail tip deep to anterior cortex had anterior knee pain while 16 (32%) out of 50 patients in the group with nail tip protruding from anterior cortex suffered anterior knee pain (p-value = 0.061). Conclusion: Intramedullary interlocking nailing in tibial shaft fractures with nail tip deep to anterior cortex showed less pain as compared to nail tip protruding from anterior cortex although it was not statistically significant.

TREATMENT OF TRIPLANE FRACTURE ANKLE FRACTURES ASSOCIATED WITH IPSILATERAL TIBIAL FRACTURES USING A NOVEL APPROACH

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study is to purpose a novel approach to the concomitant triplanar and tibial shaft fracture. Methods: Retrospective study between 2001 and 2019. We collected the patients’ general information, clinical and radiographic data, and complications after the following three-step treatment: (1) fixation of the Salter-Harris II fracture of the triplane fracture, (2) fixation of the Salter-Harris II/IV fracture with cannulated screws, and (3) fixation of the tibial fracture with flexible titanium nails. Results: The study included seven patients (six males) with a mean age of 14 years and a mean follow-up of 6.4 years (minimum two years). Five triplane fractures had two fragments and two had three fragments. Five fractures were classified as Salter-Harris II and two as Salter-Harris IV. Three tibial fractures were long oblique, three were spiral, and one had a third fragment. Six fractures affected the middle third and one affected the distal third of the tibia. All triplane and tibial fractures consolidated without significant displacement. No physeal damage was identified. Conclusions: This study described the association of tibial fractures with triplane ankle fractures managed by our proposed treatment, which proved to be effective for this fracture association. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

Union in Fracture Tibia Managed with Closed Intramedullary Interlocking Nail, Our Hospital Results

Introduction: The purpose of this research was to present our hospital results in union of fracture Tibia managed with close intramedullary interlocking nail. Methods: This research was carried out at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Science Jamshoro Pakistan from June 2020 to June 2021. A total of 250 patients with a closed tibial shaft fracture were recruited from the emergency room and outpatient clinics for this study. Our study's clinical outcomes were categorized as union, nonunion, delayed union, or malunion based on the criteria. All of the patients were given anesthesia, either general or spinal. All of the patients were tracked for a period of nine months. Results: In 90–150 days, about 88 percent (220/250) of patients had union, with a mean of 110.68. Union occurred in 11.2 percent (28/250) of patients in 95–109 days, with a mean of 103.38. There were 7.2 percent (18/250) delayed unions and 4.8 percent (12/250) non unions treated with dynamization and bone transplant. The outcomes were outstanding in 88 percent (220/250) of the patients and good in 7.2 percent (18/250). Our patients all had full range of motion in their knees and ankles at the time of their examination. Conclusion: We found that this approach is beneficial due to early mobilization (early weightbearing), reduced complexity, good outcomes, and low cost.

Von Willebrand’s disease mimicking postoperative bleeding after tibial nailing for tibial shaft fracture

Von Willebrand’s disease (VWD), or von Willebrand’s syndrome, is a bleeding syndrome characterized by low plasma levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF). VWD is the most common inherited human bleeding disorder. Partial quantitative deficiency of serum VWF is responsible for the majority of VWD cases. The effect of VWF deficiency on orthopedic operations is not well documented in the current literature. VWD may cause persistent blee­ding during the operative and postoperative periods. In the majority of cases, VWD occurs as a single episode, but frequent relapses with chronicity can be seen in a small number of cases. We reported a case of a 22-year-old man with VWD operated with intramedullary nailing due to tibial shaft fracture. The patient had no previous history of surgery, and was unaware of his VWD. The purpose of this study is to report a rare complication of an orthopedic surgical procedure with postsurgical bleeding mimicking tibialis anterior arterial perforation. Orthopedic surgeons must be alert to the possibility of VWD due to postsurgical difficulties and persistent bleeding.

The efficacy and safety of small incision open reduction and intramedullary nail fixation surgery in the treatment of simple tibial shaft fracture

Objective: To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of small incision open reduction and intramedullary nail internal fixation surgery in the treatment of simple tibial shaft fracture compared to the closed reduction surgery. Methods: A total of fifty patients with simple tibial shaft fractures admitted to our hospital were randomly and equally assigned into the observation group and the control group. Patients in the observation group received small incision open reduction surgery with intramedullary nail while patients in the control group received the closed reduction surgery. The clinical efficacy, prognosis as well as safety profile were compared between the two groups. Results: Our data indicated that the average bleeding volume of patients in the observation group was increased while the operation time was decreased compared to the control group. No significant difference of postoperative complications, fracture healing time, and Johner-Wruhs scores was identified between the two groups. Conclusion: The small incision open reduction surgery can significantly shorten the operation time while achieved a similar clinical efficacy compared to the closed reduction surgery in simple tibial shaft fracture.

Individualized Determination of the Mechanical Fracture Environment After Tibial Exchange Nailing—A Simulation-Based Feasibility Study

Non-union rate after tibial fractures remains high. Apart from largely uncontrollable biologic, injury, and patient-specific factors, the mechanical fracture environment is a key determinant of healing. Our aim was to establish a patient-specific simulation workflow to determine the mechanical fracture environment and allow for an estimation of its healing potential. In a referred patient with failed nail-osteosynthesis after tibial-shaft fracture exchange nailing was performed. Post-operative CT-scans were used to construct a three-dimensional model of the treatment situation in an image processing and computer-aided design system. Resulting forces, computed in a simulation-driven workflow based on patient monitoring and motion capturing were used to simulate the mechanical fracture environment before and after exchange nailing. Implant stresses for the initial and revision situation, as well as interfragmentary movement, resulting hydrostatic, and octahedral shear strain were calculated and compared to the clinical course. The simulation model was able to adequately predict hardware stresses in the initial situation where mechanical implant failure occurred. Furthermore, hydrostatic and octahedral shear strain of the revision situation were calculated to be within published healing boundaries—accordingly the fracture healed uneventfully. Our workflow is able to determine the mechanical environment of a fracture fixation, calculate implant stresses, interfragmentary movement, and the resulting strain. Critical mechanical boundary conditions for fracture healing can be determined in relation to individual loading parameters. Based on this individualized treatment recommendations during the early post-operative phase in lower leg fractures are possible in order to prevent implant failure and non-union development.