External fixation versus intramedullary nailing for the management of open tibial fracture: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
OrthoEvidence Journal (OE Journal) - ACE Report
OE Journal. 2024;12(15):60 Int Orthop . 2023 Dec;47(12):3077-3097.What this means for my practice?
Overall, unreamed tibial intramedullary nailing (UTN) generally offers better outcomes in terms of reduced superficial infections and malunion rates compared to external fixation (EF) in the treatment of open tibial fractures. These results suggest a potential preference for UTN in clinical practice. However, careful postoperative management is essential to prevent hardware failure. The main limitation of this paper is the potential variability in the surgical expertise and methods applied across different studies, which might influence the results.
Study Summary
Six randomized controlled trials including 407 patients with open tibial fractures were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis comparing external fixation (EF) versus unreamed tibial intramedullary nailing (UTN). Pooled outcomes of interest included postoperative superficial and deep infections, malunion, delayed union, nonunion, and hardware failure. UTN significantly reduced the rates of superficial infection and malunion compared to EF, while both treatments showed similar effectiveness for deep infections, delayed union, and nonunion. EF, however, resulted in fewer hardware failures. This analysis suggests that UTN might be preferred for managing open tibial fractures, with careful monitoring of postoperative weight-bearing to prevent hardware failure.
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