ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The complexity of the anatomic structure of proximal tibia made it difficult for treatment with intramedullary nailing and rate of complications was high. With the improved design and fixation technique of the intramedullary nails, the excellent and good rate of application of this technique is also increasing. Using intramedullary nailing to treat proximal tibial fractures is getting popular. OBJECTIVE: To summarize the latest techniques of intramedullary nailing for proximal tibial fractures. METHODS: 742 literatures were retrieved with keywords of "proximal tibial fracture" and "intramedullary nail" in English and Chinese respectively from PubMed, Web of science, WanFang and CNKI database. By analyzing their titles and summaries, based on the relevance to the subject, 57 articles were selected for this review after excluding 685 articles. RESULTS and CONCLUSION: (1) Due to the complexity of the anatomic structure of the proximal tibia and the limitations of both the fixation techniques and the structure of traditional intramedullary nails, rates of complications were high when intramedullary techniques were used to treat proximal tibial fractures. (2) With the development of intramedullary nail technique, newly designed intramedullary nails appeared, which increased proximal intramedullary nails, improved the position and direction of lock pin. Holding power was strong on the proximal fracture blocks. (3) The introduction of techniques such as combining with plates, Poller screws and improved approval increased the strength of the fixation of proximal tibial fractures. (4) Most of the biomechanical tests have proven that compared to other techniques, intramedullary nailing provides better stability. The intramedullary nailing has advantages of being minimal invasion, less blood transport damage, strong fixation, early postoperative activity and short healing time. It is especially effective for multi-level tibial fractures and proximal tibial fractures with severe soft tissue damages. (5) Deep knowledge of the anatomic structure of the proximal tibia and nailing procedure can help surgeons achieve satisfactory clinical results.