Anterior Knee Pain After Tibial Nailing

Completed

• Conditions: Knee Pain
• Interventions: Procedure: Tibial intramedullary nailing

• Registration Number: NCT01106963
• Lead Sponsor: University of Zagreb

Brief Summary

Anterior knee pain (AKP) is a common complication following intramedullary (IM) nailing of a tibial shaft fracture. The purpose of this prospective study was to determine if there is an association between AKP and nail position. The investigators have analyzed postoperative outcome results and the possible relationship between AKP according to the visual-analog scale (VAS) scale, and nail position marked as a distance from the tip of the nail to the tibial plateau (NP) and tuberositas tibiae (NT), measured postoperatively on L-L knee X-rays.

Detailed Description

The aim of this study was to determine the possible relationship between anterior knee pain (AKP) and nail position marked as a distance from tip of nail to tibial plateau (NP) and to the tuberositas tibiae (NT).

We evaluated postoperative outcome results of 50 patients in the last 3 years with healed fractures initially treated with intramedullary (IM) reamed nails with 2 or 3 interlocking screws on both parts of the nail and with the use of medial peritendinous incision for nail entry portal. Patients marked a point on the visual analog scale (VAS) that corresponded to the level of postoperative AKP felt. Two groups of patients were formed on the basis of AKP (pain level was neglected): groups A and B, with and without pain, respectively.

We found that the difference between the two groups concerning NP measurements was statistically significant, but not concerning NT measurements (P \< 0.05). Patients were classified by pain with high accuracy (98%) according to a classification tree.

We conclude that the symptoms of AKP did not appear if the tip of the nail position was more than 6.0 mm from the NP and more than 2.6 mm from the NT. However, for better evaluation of these results it will be necessary to examine more postoperative patients with AKP.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2006-01
• Primary Completion: 2009-12
• Study Completion: 2009-12
• Status Verified: 2010-04
• Study First Submitted: 2010-04-14
• Study First Submitted QC: 2010-04-19
• Last Update Submitted: 2010-04-19
• Study First Posted: 2010-04-20
• Last Update Posted: 2010-04-20

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 50

Inclusion Criteria

• tibial shaft fractures
• fracture treatment with intramedullary nailing with 2 or 3 interlocking screws on both ends of the nail

Exclusion Criteria

• amputated legs

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Tibial shaft fractures	Tibial intramedullary nailing	Patients had tibial shaft fractures in the last 3 years. All were treated with intramedullary (IM) reamed nails with 2 or 3 interlocking screws.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Anterior knee pain	1 year	Anterior knee pain was assessed postoperatively with the visual analog scale (VAS). Patients generally had pain when kneeling, at the insertion point of surgical screws, or at the back of knee upon flexing.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Department of Traumatology; 🇭🇷 Zagreb, Croatia