Distal Locking Screws for Intramedullary Nailing of Tibial Fractures

Recently introduced tibial intramedullary nails allow a number of distal screws to be used to reduce the incidence of malalignment and loss of fixation of distal metaphyseal fractures. However, the number of screws and the type of screw configuration to be used remains obscure. This biomechanical study was performed to address this question. Thirty-six Expert tibial nails (Synthes, Oberdorf, Switzerland) were introduced in composite bone models. The models were divided into 4 groups with different distal locking configurations ranging from 2 to 4 screws. A 7-mm gap osteotomy was performed 72 mm from the tibial plafond to simulate a 42-C3 unstable distal tibial fracture. Each group was divided in 3 subgroups and underwent nondestructive biomechanical testing in axial compression, coronal bending, and axial torsion. The passive construct stiffness was measured and statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance. Although some differences were noted between the stiffness of each group, these were not statistically significant in compression (P=.105), bending (P=.801), external rotation (P=.246), and internal rotation (P=.370). This in vitro study showed that, when using the Expert tibial nail for unstable distal tibial fractures, the classic configuration of 2 parallel distal screws could provide the necessary stability under partial weight-bearing conditions.