PRE OPERATIVE DETERMINATION OF INTRAMEDULLARY NAIL LENGTH IN TIBIA BY ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASUREMENT A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Introduction: Accurate estimation of intramedullary (IM) nail length is vital in the surgical management of tibial shaft fractures. Intraoperative determination methods pose challenges such as radiation exposure and increased operative time. Anthropometric measurements offer a potentially simple, non-invasive alternative for preoperative planning.

Methodology: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Department of Orthopaedics, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Assam. A total of 40 adult patients undergoing IM nailing for tibial fractures were included after obtaining informed consent. Actual nail lengths used intraoperatively were documented. Pearsons correlation analysis was employed to determine the relationship between each anthropometric parameter and the TTMM distance, taken as a reference