A Clinical Comparison between DCP Fixation and Brooker-Wills IM Nailing in the Treatment of Tibial Shaft Fracture

Kim, Hyung Seok; Hong, Ki Do; Ha, Sung Sik; Ko, Young Ki; Kang, Dong Seok; Lim, Jae Hyun

Abstract

The tibia is the most commonly fractured bone in the long bones. There are many controversy concerning the method of treatments because of many complications, such as non-union, delayed union and infection. We comparatively analyzed 21 cases of Brooker-Wills IM nailing and 35 cases of DCP fixation in the treatment of tibial shaft fractures from Jan. 1988 to Dec. 1992. The results were as follow: 1. The averge bone union time was 12.1 weeks in Brooker-Wills IM nailing group and 13.9 weeks in DCP fixation group. There were significant different between two groups of the bone union time especially, the age from 20s to 40s and type B fracture in according to A-O classification but no different of the bone union time in open fractures. 2. There was more complications in DCP fixation than in Blocker IM nailing to treat the tibia shaft fractures. 3. In according to the above results to treat the tibia shaft fracture, we meet the conclusion that it will be a benifit to treat the tibia shaft fracture with IM nails than with DCP fixation especilly, young ages and type B fractures in A-O classification. Also we need further study for advantage between the IM nails which flexible and hard one, reamed and unlearned one.