Thromboxane--co-factor of pulmonary disturbances in intramedullary nailing

Pulmonary complications during and after intramedullary nailing particularly in trauma patients have directed clinical interest to thromboembolic events and metabolic alterations, as found in different methods of fracture stabilisation. In 30 patients (mean age 34 years) isolated, closed or 1 degree open fractures of the tibia were operated on in three groups with reamed nailing (RN; n = 11), unreamed nailing (UN; n = 11) and external fixation (EF; n = 8) respectively. In blood samples of the femoral vein of the fractured limb, a 5-7 fold increase of the thromboxane (TXB2) concentration was found in all patients. However, differences of TXB2 concentrations in the arterial blood after passage of the lungs were conspicuous. The highest arterial TXB2 concentrations were found in connection with RN, followed by UN and finally EF. The transpulmonary TXB2-clearance displayed the following relationship: EF > UN > RN (5.7:4,4:2.2). A similar correlation was found for PGF2 alpha while other arachidonic acid metabolites showed no significant behaviour. TXB2 and PGF2 alpha cause bronchoconstriction, pulmonary vasoconstriction and aggregation of thrombocytes. These pulmonary disturbances may results in ARDS, a feared complication after intramedullary nailing.

Early fracture stabilisation particularly in severely injured patients is an established procedure. To prevent pulmonary disturbances the external fixator is preferrable to the UN and finally the RN. Our data suggest that for the prevention of pulmonary disturbances EF is superior to UN and RN.