Suprapatellar Technique for Tibia Fractures: Is the Fracture Level Important?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Traumatology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Tibial fractures are common injuries resulting from falls and accidents.
• Intramedullary nailing is a standard surgical treatment for tibial fractures.
• The suprapatellar (SP) approach for tibial intramedullary nailing (IMN) is an alternative technique.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the suprapatellar (SP) tibial intramedullary nailing (IMN) technique.
• To assess healing duration, alignment, functional outcomes, and complications of SP IMN for proximal, shaft, and distal tibial fractures.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study of 52 patients undergoing SP IMN.
• Data collected included patient demographics, fracture type, and surgical details.
• Minimum 12-month follow-up assessing healing time, alignment, and lower extremity functional scores.

Main Results:

• Average healing time was 7.34 months, with no significant difference based on fracture location.
• No statistically significant differences in functional scores or follow-up periods across fracture sites.
• Mean follow-up duration was 15.76 months.

Conclusions:

• Suprapatellar tibial intramedullary nailing provides comparable functional scores and alignment across different tibial fracture locations.
• The SP approach is associated with shorter recovery periods and a lower incidence of malalignment.
• This technique is effective for various tibial fractures, including those in the proximal, shaft, and distal regions.