Is the Expert Nail With Poller Screws Superior to the Distal Tibial Locked Plate in the Management of Short Oblique Distal Tibial Fractures?

"the fracture was reduced to enable the insertion of the guide wire to restore the rotation, length, and angulation. Poller screws were used as control deformity by narrowing the medullary canal and were inserted on the deformity concave side between the nail and bone cortex. A ball-ended guidewire was placed through the entry point to the tibial canal and then to the tibial fracture site under the guidance of fluoroscopy. The guide wire should be inserted centrally within the distal segment on both lateral and anteroposterior views and be far about 1 to 0.5 centimeters from the ankle joint. Reamers with deep fluted and small diameters were used slowly to increase the diameter to reach 0.5 mm till the cortical chatter.~The nail was inserted by attachment of insertion device and locking of the proximal screw to the nail by directing its apex posteriorly. The nail insertion was done by flexing the knee to prevent any patellar impingement."

Cobb dissector was used in creation extra-periosteal subcutaneous tunnel for gentle introduction of a proper plate which was determined by choosing appropriate size and level guided by imaging which helped in prevention of any periosteal damage. Manual closed reduction was performed using the percutaneous clamps. Distal screws were positioned as the following, one was inserted above the medial malleolus, another one was inserted right and below the fracture, and the other screws were inserted to help in anatomical plate positioning. By reduction preservation, proximal screws were inserted by small incisions which was followed by insertion of the remained distal screws.