Treatment of Tibial Shaft Fractures with Ender Nailing and Postoperative Functional Bracing

Byun, Young Soo; Kim, Hong Tae; Cho, Won Ho; Chang, Se Ang; Choi, In Hak; Jung, Jin Wook

Abstract

Ender nailing is an alternative method of treatment of selected unstable tibial shaft fractures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the result of functional treatment with Ender nailing and postoperative functional bracing. We treated 31 tibial shaft fractures(16 closed, 15 open) with closed Ender nailing and postoperative functional bracing between August 1990 and September 1994 and followed up the patients from minimum 10 months to 74 months. Clinical analyses were as follows; 1. According to AO classification, 10 cases were Type A simple fractures(32%), 14 Type B wedge fractures(45%), and 7 Type C complex fractures(23%). 2. Ninety four percent of the fractures united in an average time of 17.3 weeks. The average time to union of complex fractures was longer than that of simple and wedge fractures(P<0.05). 3. There were two nonunions(6.5%), two delayed unions(6.5%), and three angulatory malunions(9.7%) between 6 and 10 , but there was no putient of significant shortening, joint stiffness, or infection. The Ender nails provide sufficient stability at the fracture site of the tibial shaft to permit carly weight-bearing in a functional brace, and this treatment provides early fracture union with less complicatioins and facilitates functional recovery.