J Korean Fract Soc.  2001 Oct;14(4):651-659.

Comparison between Ender Nail and Interlocking Nail in The Treatment of Infra-isthmic Tibial Shaft Fracture

• Yang SW
• Song MH
• Park HT
• Choi SJ

Abstract

PURPOSE
To compare the clinical results between Ender nail and interlocking nail in the treatment of infra-isthmic tibial shaft fracture.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The authors analyzed 44 cases of infra-isthmic tibial shaft fracture treated with Ender nail(23 cases) as a group 1 or interlocking nail(21 cases) as a group 2 from 1994 to 1998. Fracture type was divided by AO classification, and measured the fracture level, the time of bone union and angular deformity was checked with roentgenograms. The functional results were compared using the criteria by Klemm and Borner.
RESULTS
Distal end of fracture line from ankle joint shows no difference between two groups(P>0.05). Mean operation time was 96 minutes in group 1 and 140 minutes in group 2(P<0.05). Mean intraoperative blood loss was 103cc in group 1 and 254cc in group 2(P<0.05). Mean bone union time was 19.26 weeks in group 1 and 24.81 weeks in group 2. There was no significant difference between two groups in the angulation(P>0.05) and the functional results by Klemm and Borner.
CONCLUSION
Ender nail is a good method of treatment in infra-isthmic tibial fracture when isthmic portion of tibia is too narrow, or insertion of distal interlocking screws were too difficult to insert because of the severe soft tissue injury. The stability of fixation can be strengthened with a three point fixation as fanning of the nails in the distal fragments using more than 3 nails selecting a 1cm longer nail than the ordinary nail length for diaphyseal fracture.

Keyword

Tibia; Infra-isthmic; Fracture; Interlocking intramedullary nail; Ender nail

MeSH Terms

Ankle Joint
Classification
Congenital Abnormalities
Methods
Soft Tissue Injuries
Tibia
Tibial Fractures