The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the treatment results according to bone union, union time, and complications, including infection of unreamed nailing of tibial fractures between closed and open fractures.

We reviewed 64 tibial shaft fractures that were treated with unreamed tibial nail. These included 42 closed fractures and 22 open fractures.

Average union time of closed fractures was 19.8 weeks and that of open fractures was 20.2 weeks, nonunion rate were 4/42 and 3/22 in closed and open fractures. Average union time were 19.2, 20.4, 21.3 weeks in open grade I, II, llla fractures. According to the type of fractures, average union time were 18.5, 20.2, 24.6 weeks and nonunion rate were 2/29, 3/26, 2/9 in type A, B, C fractures. According to the level of fractures, average union time were 20.0, 20.3, 19.4 weeks and nonunion rate were 1/5, 4/37, 2/22 in proximal, middle, and distal fractures. There was no significant differences in average period of radiologic union, infection rate and nonunion rate between closed and open fracture group, but longer union time and higher nonunion rate in complex and comminuted fractures (P<0.05).

We consider unreamed intramedullary nailing in the tibial shaft fractures as a good treatment modality for closed and open grade I, II, IIIa fractures