Elastic Nailing With Kirschner Wires Versus Plate Fixation for Distal Tibial Fractures in Adolescents

Overview

This prospective randomized controlled trial will compare two surgical methods for treating distal tibial metaphyseal-diaphyseal junction fractures in adolescents aged 10 to 16 years. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either elastic stable intramedullary nailing supplemented by Kirschner wires or plate fixation. The study will compare fracture healing, radiological alignment, time to full weight-bearing, functional outcomes, and treatment-related complications. Participants will be followed at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery.

Distal tibial metaphyseal-diaphyseal junction fractures in adolescents can be difficult to treat because of the short distal fragment, proximity to the growth plate, and tendency toward displacement and malalignment. Elastic stable intramedullary nailing is minimally invasive and preserves the fracture biology, but fixation of the short distal fragment may be less stable. Supplementary Kirschner wires may improve rotational and angular stability. Plate fixation provides stable fixation and good control of alignment but may require greater soft-tissue dissection. This study will be conducted at the Department of Orthopaedics Surgery, Sohag University Hospital. Eligible adolescents with displaced or unstable distal tibial metaphyseal-diaphyseal junction fractures requiring surgical fixation will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. Group A will undergo elastic stable intramedullary nailing supplemented by one or two Kirschner wires. Group B will undergo plate fixation using a distal tibial locking compression plate. Randomization will be performed using a computer-generated sequence in a 1:1 ratio. Patients will undergo clinical and radiological follow-up at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. The primary outcomes are time to radiological union and fracture union rate. Secondary outcomes include coronal and sagittal alignment, time to full weight-bearing, AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Score, Lower Extremity Functional Scale, and complications including malunion, delayed union, nonunion, infection, implant irritation or failure, and reoperation.