PRELIMINARY EXPERIENCES WITH UNREAMED TIBIAL NAIL (UTN)

It is generally accepted that intramedullary nailing in combination wi th reaming should be avoided in treating open fractures. However the u se of an unreamed, solid nail combined with interlocking allows stabil ization also of open and complex fractures. 20 tibia fractures (65% op en, 45% complex fractures) have been treated by the AO unreamed tibial nail (UTN), 12 (5 of them open fractures) by direct nailing and 8 aft er initial stabilization by an external fixator. In our series no intr aoperative complications, no soft-tissue healing problems and no infec tions occurred. Thus, treatment of both, open and comminuted fractures by UTN appears to be rather safe and generally needs no secondary sta bilization.