Comparison of suprapatellar versus infrapatellar approaches of intramedullary nailing for distal tibia fractures

Background This study aimed to analyze and compare the clinical and functional outcomes of distal tibia fractures treated with intramedullary nailing (IMN) using the suprapatellar (SP) and infrapatellar (IP) surgical approaches. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed in 63 patients with distal fractures that were treated with IMN between August 2014 and August 2018. A total of 27 and 36 patients underwent IMN using the SP and IP techniques, respectively. The surgical time, blood loss, closed reduction rate, rate of adjuvant reduction technique, fracture healing time, and complications were reviewed in this study. Anterior knee pain was assessed using the visual analog scale. The Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scale were used as clinical measurements. Results A total of 63 patients, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months, were evaluated. The average surgical time, blood loss, rate of adjuvant reduction technique, closed reduction rate, fracture healing time, and Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale score were insignificantly different (P > 0.05) between the two groups. However, the SP approach was superior to the IP approach in terms of pain score, AOFAS score, and fracture deformity rate (P < 0.05). Conclusions In the treatment of distal tibia fractures, the SP IMN technique is associated with a significantly higher functional outcome, lower knee pain, and lower rate of fracture deformity than the IP IMN technique.