Treatment of Fracture of Tibial Shaft with Rush Nails or Ender Nails: Comparative Study

Moon, Myung Sang; Woo, Young Kyun; Ha, Kee Yong; Choi, Kyung Hwan

Abstract

In the orthopaedic literatures of the past thirty years, many methods of treating fractures of the tibial shaft have been reported, and there have been many analyses of the end results of such treatments. Recently, closed flexible intramedullary nailing have been widely used to treat fractures, and results were also presented. These nails were inserted using a relatively simple procedure without reaming. The fracture site was disrupted minimally, thereby lessening the risk of infection. Dynamic controlled motion at the fracture site led to early callus formation. However, there were only few reports of comparative study of the results of intramedullary nailing such as Rush and Ender nsilings. Authors csrried out retrospective study of the 51 tibial shaft fractures that were internally fixed with Rush or Ender nails, who were trested at the Orthopaedic Depsrtment, Kang-Nam St. Mary's Hospital, from May 1981 to May 1987. The results were as follows :1. The radiological union was obtained at 12.8 weeks in Ender nailing group, and 13.7 weeks in Rush nailing group. The median healing time was shorter in the Ender nailing group than the Rush nailing group. 2. Ratio of the external callus formation did not show the difference between Ender and Rush nailing groups. 3. Rush nailing group had more complications than Ender nailing group. Especially, among 4 cases not associated with fibular fracture in Ender nailing group, 2 cases had varus malunion of the fractured tibia. 4. Even in the distal 1/3 tibial fracture, Ender and Rush nailings were well indicated.