Jf. Keating et al., REAMED INTERLOCKING INTRAMEDULLARY NAILING OF OPEN FRACTURES OF THE TIBIA, Clinical orthopaedics and related research, (338), 1997, pp. 182-191
One hundred twelve open tibial fractures were treated by reamed interl
ocking nailing in 108 patients, There were 31 (28%) Grade I fractures,
38 (34%) Grade II, 23 Grade IIIA (21%), and 20 (18%) Grade IIIB fract
ures, Early amputation was performed in 2 (10%) Grade IIIB fractures f
or severe crushing injuries, Compartment syndrome complicated 8 (7%) f
ractures, Mean time to union was 29 weeks for Grade I fractures, 32 we
eks for Grade II, 34 weeks for Grade IIIA, and 39 weeks for Grade IIIB
, Nonunion complicated 9 (8%) fractures: 1 (3%) Grade I fracture, 2 (5
%) Grade II fractures, 3 (13%) Grade IIIA fractures, and 3 (17%) Grade
IIIB fractures, Deep infection complicated 4 Grade II fractures (10%)
and 2 (11%) Grade IIIB fractures, Reamed locking intramedullary naili
ng is a safe and effective technique for management of open tibial fra
ctures.