title: [Results of primary unreamed tibial nailing of tibial fractures with severe open or closed soft tissue injuries].
abstract: Primary stabilization was performed in 72 tibial fractures with sever open (n = 37) or closed (n = 35) soft tissue injury using unreamed interlocking nails. In 60 (83%) cases the fractures healed without additional procedures. There were 2 cases of osteitis, but both these fractures healed after removal of the nail or after reamed nailing. In 9 patients with delayed union reamed nailing (n = 8) or bone grafting (n = 1) led to healing. In 1 patient with hypertrophic pseudarthrosis, union was achieved after substitution of a reamed nail for the anreamed nail. The infection rate was similar to that observed with external fixation. More secondary procedures, such as bone grafting or a change of the osteosynthesis technique, are necessary with external fixation than with unreamed nailing. Further advantages of unreamed nailing are the internal treatment of the fracture and the patient's greater comfort. Therefore, unreamed nailing can be recommended for the primary treatment of tibial fractures with severe open or closed soft tissue trauma.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Unfallchirurgie, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Runkel
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wenda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Degreif
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blum
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*