Anterior Knee Pain after Tibia Intramedullary Nailing

Sohn, Sung Keun; Kim, Kyung Taek; Cho, Kwang Woo

Abstract

Treatments of tibia shaft fracture are closed reduction followed by cast immobilization, external fixation, intramedullary nailing and internal fixation with plate and screws. Among these, intramedullary nailing is commonly used method today. The tibia nailing has high rate of union, but malunion, infection, the joint stiffness and anterior knee pain develops frequently. We reviewed the clinical and radiological result of anterior knee pain retrospectively after tibia nailing. The result were as follows: l. Age distribution of tibia shaft fracture was 17 to 76, and mean age was 40 male patients were 35 and female 13. 2. The open fractures were 17 and the closed fractures were 34. 3. The causes of' tibia shaft fracture were traffic accidents(30cases), fall down injuries(6 cases), slip down injuries(1 1 cases) and other injuries(4 cases) Among the these, 19 cases were cornbined with other fractures or neuri.isurgical injuries. 4. The incision methods were recorded as follows: parapatella tendon incision were 9 cases, patella splitting incision were 25 cases and unrecorded were 17cases. 5. According to the radiological analysis, the average nail plateau distance was 10.3mm and the extent of nail protrusion beyond the anterior cortex was -1.73mm. Among these, protrusion of proximal targeting screws were 8 cases. 6. Insertion of nail through the patella tendon was associated with a hipher incidence of knee pain compared to paratendon site of insertion. The extent of nail protrusion were related to anterior knee pain after tibia intramedullary nailing.