Abstract
Aim: To study the effect of traction on the compartment pressures during intramedullary nailing of closed tibial shaft fractures. Methods:Thirty consecutive patients with Tscherne C1 fractures were randomised into two groups. Sixteen patients underwent intramedullary nailing of the tibia with traction and fourteen patients without traction. Compartment pressures were measured before the application of traction or commencement of the procedure and at the end of the procedure with a Stryker¨intracompartmental pressure monitor system. Results:The data collected was analysed using paired student t-test. There was no statistically signiþcant difference (p> 0.05) in the preoperative mean compartment pressures for both groups. The mean postoperative measurements were higher in all the four compartments in the traction group (p< 0.05). None of the pressures reached the critical level Conclusions:These results show that traction increases compartment pressures signiþcantly. The group considered did not have compartment syndrome possibly due to lower pressures. With greater pre operative compartment pressures, it can reach a critical level on traction necessitating decompression. We advocate the procedure be done without traction.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Dr. Frantz Langlais. Correspondence should be addressed to him at EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
