comparative study on the functional outcomes following intramedullary nailing and use of external fixator in tibia fracture: physiotherapeutic perspective

ABSTRACT

To compare the functional outcomes between Intramedullary Nailing and External Fixator used for treating Tibial Shaft Fracture. Design: Comparative Study - Prospective. The study was done at the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department of Sheikh Rashid Hospital, Dubai during July 2011. All patients were admitted through emergency department and wards of this institute. The study is based on four male patients of mean age of 23, non-diabetic, having tibial diaphyseal fractures. Two patients were treated with Intramedullary Nailing and the other two with External Fixator. They were followed up for a period of three weeks. Recommended rehabilitation guidelines were observed for all the cases. There was a significant difference in the functional outcome between the patients treated with IM nailing and those treated with External Fixator, with the former having faster recovery. This was evidenced by the use of Lower Extremity Functional Scale Score which showed an improvement of around 40% by the end of three weeks for the patients treated with IM nailing as compared to patients with External Fixator who showed only 15% of improvement by the end of 3 weeks. IM nailing technique is more advantageous than External Fixation because of early mobilization [early weight bearing], normal anatomical alignment and fewer complications