J Korean Fract Soc.  2000 Oct;13(4):928-934. 10.12671/jksf.2000.13.4.928.

Torsional Deformity Following Intramedullary Nailing for Treatment of the Tibia Fractures

• Kim JO
• Lee SJ
• Kim Y
• Huh HR

• KMID: 2100161
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12671/jksf.2000.13.4.928

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine the incidence and extent of torsional mal-alignment in patients with tibial shaft fractures treated with closed antegrade intramedullary(IM) nailing.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We measured torsion using CT scanning in 35 patients. Affected tibiae were compared with the normal tibiae.
RESULTS
A torsional difference of 8degrees or more found in 22 cases(63%) as compared with the uninjured side. Only 7 of these cases could be clinically detected and only two patients noted the problem.
CONCLUSION
Torsional mal-alignment occurs in a significant number of tibial fractures treated by closed IM nailing in spited of careful attention to detail. We recommend that torsional mal-alignment be considered as a likely cause for less than optimal result after treatment of the tibial fractures by closed IM nailing and to investigate this further by performing CT scans.

Keyword

Tibia; Fracture; Intramedullary Nailing; Torsional deformity; CT Scanning

MeSH Terms

Congenital Abnormalities*
Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary*
Humans
Incidence
Tibia*
Tibial Fractures
Tomography, X-Ray Computed