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IM nailing, minimally invasive plating yielded similar clinical results for distal tibia fractures
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Patients with nonarticular or minimally articular metaphyseal distal tibia fractures treated with either intramedullary nailing or minimally invasive plating had similar clinical results and marginally enhanced functional outcomes, according to results.
Researchers identified 86 patients with metaphyseal distal fractures with simple or no articular involvement. Of these, 37 patients underwent minimally invasive plating and 27 patients underwent intramedullary nailing met inclusion criteria. Researchers evaluated clinical and radiographic results at a minimum of 1-year follow-up, while limb-specific outcomes and whole-person measures were assessed at final follow-up.
Results showed all patients healed with an average time to union of 23 weeks in the both the intramedullary nailing and minimally invasive plating groups. Researchers found both groups had similar complications, including nonunion, malalignment, wound complications and infection. However, 25.9% of patients in the intramedullary nailing group underwent a secondary procedure for the removal of implants vs. 8.3% of patients in the minimally invasive plating group, according to results. The intramedullary nailing group also experienced quantitatively higher American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeons and all SF-36 version two domain scores, researchers noted, although the role emotional scores reached a level of statistical superiority between the groups. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosures: Barcak reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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