J Korean Fract Soc.  2012 Oct;25(4):283-287. 10.12671/jkfs.2012.25.4.283.

Alteration of the Patella Tendon Length after Intramedullary Nail in Tibial Shaft Fractures

• Shin DE
• Nam KS
• Bang JY
• Chang JH

• KMID: 1434067
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12671/jkfs.2012.25.4.283

Abstract

PURPOSE
To compare and analyze length change of patella tendon after intramedullary nailing of tibial shaft fracture using transtendinous approach.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thirty-two cases were analyzed from December, 1999 to December, 2005. Insall Salvati ratios were estimated. Severity of initial trauma, duration of nail retension, knee function and pain on change of length of patellar tendon was evaluated.
RESULTS
Mean duration of nail retention was twenty-two months. The shortening of patella tendon was observed in 25 cases (p<0.001). The effect of AO type and the duration of nail retension on the decrease of Insall Salvati ratio was not significant (p>0.05, p=0.778). Lysholom score decrease to 89.5. There was no significant difference between the shortening of patellar tendon length and knee pain (p=0.058).
CONCLUSION
After intramedullary nailing for closed tibia fracture, shortening of patellar tendon length is observed. That is irrelevant to the fracture type and the duration of nail retension. The shortening of patella tendon length may contribute to decreasing of knee function, but it was no significance of knee pain after intramedullary nailing.

Keyword

Tibial fractures; Intramedullary fracture fixation; Patellar tendon

MeSH Terms

Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary
Knee
Nails
Patella
Patellar Ligament
Retention (Psychology)
Tibia
Tibial Fractures

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Insall-Salvati ratio of intact knee joint compared to knee joint of the injured side after removal of the nail. LT: Length of patella tendon, LP: Length of patella.

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