Comparison of Elastic Intramedullary Nails and Locking Compression Plates on Oxidative Stress in Children with Distal Tibial Metaphyseal Fractures

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of elastic intramedullary nails and locking compression plates on oxidative stress like superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase ( CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in children with distal tibial metaphyseal fractures. It was an experimental study carried out from January 2012 to October 2017. Ninety-eight children with distal tibial metaphyseal fractures were randomly divided into group A and group B, 49 cases in each group. Group A was treated with elastic intramedullary nails and group B with locking compression plates. The research showed that operation time of group A was shorter than those of group B (p < 0.001), incision complication rate of group A was lower than that of group B (p=0.025), and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score of group A was higher than that of group B (p < 0.001) after 12 months of follow-up. On the 7th day after operation, the levels of SOD, TAC and CAT in group A were higher than those in group B (p=0.003, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively), but level of serum MDA in group A was lower than that in group B (p < 0.001). Compared with locking compression plate, elastic intramedullary nail has better short-term effect, less operative time, lower incision complications, and less influence on oxidative stress.