Comparison of Radiological and Clinical Outcomes in Patients Treated with Standard Plating versus Intramedullary Nailing in Distal Tibial Fracture

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate clinical and radiological outcomes including hindfoot alignment after plate vs intramedullary nailing (IMN) for distal tibia fracture and to define radiologic parameters that influence changes in hindfoot alignment.

Methods: Among 92 patients with distal tibia metaphyseal fractures treated from 2002 to 2015, 39 cases of intramedullary nailing and 53 cases of standard plate osteosynthesis were performed. Union rate and complication rate were compared in both groups. Radiographic measurements including hindfoot angulation, moment arm, calcaneal pitch angle, and Meary angle were evaluated at a minimum of 1-year follow-up. Hindfoot alignment changes after surgery were compared between both groups using student t-test. Correlation and regression were analyzed between fracture alignment parameters and hindfoot alignment.

Results: All patients ultimately healed, with an average union period of 26 weeks in both groups. The AOFAS and VAS scores were not significantly different between the two groups. Complications were similar between the two groups. Hindfoot alignment angle, calcaneal pitch, and Meary angle showed no significant differences between the groups. The hindfoot moment arm increased with valgus in the IMN group. A low correlation was detected between angulation at the fracture site in the coronal view and hindfoot alignment (angulation and moment arm) changes (R = 0.38). A significantly high correlation was noted only between transverse rotation and hindfoot alignment changes (R = 0.79).

Conclusions: Rotation in the transverse plane notably influenced changes in hindfoot alignment. And this suggests that patients with distal tibia fracture should be closely monitored for hindfoot alignment changes caused by intraoperative transverse rotation regardless of the fixation method.

Keywords: Bone nails; Bone plates; Fracture fixation; Internal/methods; Intramedullary/methods; Tibial fractures/surgery.