Abstract
From March, 1989 to Sept. 1992, total of 31 cases of tibial shaft fracture have been admitted treated with intramedullary nailing at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ansan Hospital, Korea University.
Among them, 13 cases which had been followed-up than 2years were analyzed and the results were as follows;
1. Among the 13 patients, 9 of them(69.2%) were male, the rest of 4(30.8%)were female.
2. Eight cases out of 13 were open fractures with Gustilo type I-4 cases, type II-2 cases, type III-2 cases and the remaining 5 were closed type.
3. Treatment offered were either interlocking intramedullary nailing(10 cases, 76.9%) or insertion of flexble nails(3 cases, 23.1%).
4. There were no cases with non-union and the average period of bone union was 21.6 weeks.
5. Delayed union and superficial infection occured in each three cases as a complication.
6. Intramedullary nailing could be used carefully in tibial shaft fracture even in the communicated & open fractures.