M Williamson1, E Iliopoulos1, R Williams2, A Trompeter1. 1. Trauma & Orthopaedics, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, SW17 0QT, United Kingdom. 2. Department of Radiology, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, SW17 0QT, United Kingdom.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fractures of the tibial shaft are routinely managed with intramedullary nailing. An increasingly accepted technique is the suprapatellar extended leg method. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the suprapatellar tibial nailing technique offers shorter intraoperative fluoroscopy times and lower radiation doses when compared to the traditional infrapatellar technique. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Data from 200 consecutive intramedullary tibial nailing operations in our level 1 Major Trauma Centre were retrospectively collected from a prospective database (January 2014-December 2017). Only acute diaphyseal nailing procedures were included. The operations were performed by seven senior trauma consultants experienced in both suprapatellar and infrapatellar tibial nailing. The operations were divided into two groups: infrapatellar and suprapatellar. Intraoperative radiation time and dose data were collected. RESULTS: A total of 90 cases were included and analysed. The majority of the patients were male (82%). 37 operations were infrapatellar and 53 were suprapatellar. Independent samples t-test revealed lower radiation time and dose for the suprapatellar group. The infrapatellar group had a mean radiation time of 129.7 ± 56.6 s versus 94.4 ± 47.9 s for the suprapatellar group. The infrapatellar group had a mean radiation dose (Dose Area Product) 53.6 ± 34.2 cGY cm2 versus 38.2 ± 26.7 cGY cm2 for the suprapatellar group. The difference in mean radiation time and mean radiation dose were both significant (p = 0.002 and p = 0.02 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Suprapatellar tibial nailing is an increasingly accepted technique in the management of tibial fractures. It is shown here that amongst surgeons experienced in both suprapatellar and infrapatellar nailing techniques, the suprapatellar approach trends towards lower use of intra-operative fluoroscopy as measured by time and dose and thus potentially lower radiation exposure to the operating surgeon, assistants and patient. Crown
BACKGROUND: Fractures of the tibial shaft are routinely managed with intramedullary nailing. An increasingly accepted technique is the suprapatellar extended leg method. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the suprapatellar tibial nailing technique offers shorter intraoperative fluoroscopy times and lower radiation doses when compared to the traditional infrapatellar technique. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Data from 200 consecutive intramedullary tibial nailing operations in our level 1 Major Trauma Centre were retrospectively collected from a prospective database (January 2014-December 2017). Only acute diaphyseal nailing procedures were included. The operations were performed by seven senior trauma consultants experienced in both suprapatellar and infrapatellar tibial nailing. The operations were divided into two groups: infrapatellar and suprapatellar. Intraoperative radiation time and dose data were collected. RESULTS: A total of 90 cases were included and analysed. The majority of the patients were male (82%). 37 operations were infrapatellar and 53 were suprapatellar. Independent samples t-test revealed lower radiation time and dose for the suprapatellar group. The infrapatellar group had a mean radiation time of 129.7 ± 56.6 s versus 94.4 ± 47.9 s for the suprapatellar group. The infrapatellar group had a mean radiation dose (Dose Area Product) 53.6 ± 34.2 cGY cm2 versus 38.2 ± 26.7 cGY cm2 for the suprapatellar group. The difference in mean radiation time and mean radiation dose were both significant (p = 0.002 and p = 0.02 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Suprapatellar tibial nailing is an increasingly accepted technique in the management of tibial fractures. It is shown here that amongst surgeons experienced in both suprapatellar and infrapatellar nailing techniques, the suprapatellar approach trends towards lower use of intra-operative fluoroscopy as measured by time and dose and thus potentially lower radiation exposure to the operating surgeon, assistants and patient. Crown
Authors: Andreas Fontalis; Simon Weil; Michael Williamson; James Houston; Tamer Ads; Alex Trompeter Journal: Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol Date: 2021-01-08