Ender nailing versus external fixation in the stabilization of type III open tibial shaft fractures

Management of severe open tibial shaft fractures presents a difficult challenge to the orthopaedic surgeon. They are frequently associated with loss of limb, infection and high levels of morbidity. All the authors considered, now, that there are five keys to successful treatment: antibiotic therapy, radical debridement and pulsed lavage irrigation, stabilization of fracture with minimal further devascularization, early soft tissue coverage and early bone-grafting. It rests, also, a number of controversies in the management of open tibial fractures, not least of which is the method of fracture stabilization: the choice between intramedullary nailing and external skeletal fixation, the use of reamed or unreamed nails.

Fifty-seven patients with 62 open fractures of the tibial shaft type IIIA, B and C (Gustilo) were treated between 1.01.1994 and 31.12.1998 in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the Emergency Hospital, Iasi, Romania. There were 29 cases type IIIA fractures, 26 cases type IIIB and 7 cases type IIIC (Mess score showed the viability of the limb). Our patients were 36 males and 21 females; their mean age was 36 years (range 17 to 70). Forty-six patients were injured in road traffic accidents and 11 in other traumatic incidents. In 33 cases the skeletal stabilization was achieved by Ender nailing under general or regional anesthesia. In 15 cases we used a bilateral uniplanar external fixator (Burghele) and 14 fractures were stabilized with an Ilizarov external fixator. We note a secondary amputation after the failure of the revascularization of the limb in a type IIIC fracture.

All fractures united; the mean time to union was 30.2 weeks--in the external fixation group and 26.4 weeks--in the Ender nailing group. Malunions occurred slightly more frequently in the external fixation group that in the Ender nailing group (15.7% versus 5.8%). We noted--also--more secondary procedures required in the external fixation group. The infection rate was 3 of 33 (9.1%) in the Ender nailing group compared to 4 deep (13.8%) and 8 pin-tract infection (27.6%) in the external fixation group.

Our study suggests that Ender nailing has several advantages over external fixation in the management of severe open tibial shafts fractures. Based on these results, over the last years, in our Department we use mainly the Ender nailing technique, as we consider it a better approach for these type of lesions.