Intramedullary Kirschner wiring for tibia fractures in children.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Pediatric orthopedics
• Traumatology

Background:

• Tibial fractures are common in children.
• Intramedullary Kirschner wiring is a surgical option for pediatric tibial fractures.
• Treatment outcomes for open tibial fractures in children require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical and functional results of intramedullary Kirschner wiring for pediatric tibial fractures.
• To assess the efficacy and safety of this technique in both closed and open fractures.
• To analyze complication rates, including infection and nonunion.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 84 pediatric tibial fractures treated with intramedullary Kirschner wiring.
• Patients included both closed and open fractures (30 total).
• Surgical technique involved antegrade insertion of two Kirschner wires under fluoroscopic guidance.

Main Results:

• Average time to union was 9.5 weeks, with no delayed unions observed.
• One case of infected nonunion occurred in a grade IIIB open fracture, successfully treated with a bone graft.
• Infections were limited to open fractures (four superficial, one deep); no infections occurred in closed fractures.

Conclusions:

• Closed intramedullary Kirschner wire fixation is a simple and effective surgical technique for pediatric tibial fractures.
• The method yields good clinical and functional results with a low complication rate.
• It is a viable option for unstable and open tibial fractures in children.