Displaced tibia shaft fractures in children treated by elastic stable intramedullary nailing: results and complications in children weighing 50 kg (110 lb) or more

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of displaced tibia shaft fractures in children weighing 50 kg (110 lb) or more treated by elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN). Translation, sagittal and coronal angulations were assessed on plain radiographs in all the patients. Twenty-six out of 106 patients met the inclusion criteria. The average patient age at the time of injury was 13.5 ± 1.3 years (range 11.3–16.1). The mean patient weight was 57 ± 8 kg (range 50–80). This study demonstrates that the use of ESIN for displaced tibia shaft fractures in children and adolescents weighing 50 kg (110 lb) or more, or older than 13 years of age, is not contraindicated. In contrast to data in femoral shaft fractures, we did not find poorer outcomes in older or heavier patients. No correlation between nail size/medullary canal diameter ratio and outcome was observed.