Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Eurasian Clinical and Analytical Medicine, cilt.13, sa.2, ss.40-44, 2025 (Hakemli Dergi)
Aim: This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of intramedullary nailing (IMN) in open fractures due to firearm injuries and analyze differences in healing time, infection rates, and hospital stay durations among femur, tibia, and humerus fractures. Material and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 89 patients treated with IMN for open fractures caused by firearm injuries. Patients were classified by the affected bone, and variables including healing time, nonunion, infection rates, and hospital stay were assessed. Results: The mean healing time was 19 weeks for femur fractures, 22 weeks for tibia fractures, and 10.1 weeks for humerus fractures. Tibia fractures had the highest infection rate (17.6%), followed by the humerus (14.3%) and femur fractures (10.4%). Nonunion was observed in 3 femur and 3 tibia cases, while humerus fractures had no nonunion. Patients with tibia fractures also had the longest mean hospital stay. Discussion: Intramedullary nailing (IMN) is an effective treatment for gunshot-induced fractures, particularly for femoral and humeral fractures. Our study showed similar union times to previous studies, though high-velocity injuries were linked to higher delayed union and infection rates. Tibial fractures, more prone to infection, showed lower delayed union rates, possibly due to unreamed IMN. However, infection remains a significant concern, especially in war-related injuries. In conclusion, while IMN offers favorable outcomes for gunshot fractures, high infection rates in high-velocity injuries underscore the need for further research to refine treatment strategies, especially for severe fractures.