Knee sepsis may be rare across tibial fracture care - Takeaways - MDSpire
Coming Soon: Introducing MDSpire News. Learn more
Conexiant’s news site is now MDSpire News. Learn more

Knee sepsis may be rare across tibial fracture care

Investigators documented acute knee sepsis after both intra- and extra-articular nailing of open tibial shaft fractures.

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • September 23, 2026

  • 3 min

Share

  • 1

    Acute knee sepsis is rare after intramedullary nailing of open tibial shaft fractures, occurring in 0.7% of cases.

  • 2

    The study analyzed 293 patients with 295 fractures treated at two Level I trauma centers from 2010 to 2023.

  • 3

    Knee sepsis rates were 1.1% for intra-articular nailing and 0.5% for extra-articular nailing, with no significant difference.

  • 4

    Deep infections occurred in 9% of both nailing approaches, while superficial infections were 4% for intra-articular and 5% for extra-articular.

  • 5

    The study's limitations include its retrospective design, small number of sepsis events, and a minimum follow-up of 3 months.

Original Source(s)

Knee sepsis may be rare across tibial fracture care

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • September 23, 2026

Related Content

Shockwave therapy may aid early return to sport

A 14-year-old soccer player achieved fracture consolidation and clearance for unrestricted sports participation at 8 weeks, although the treatment's contribution remains uncertain.

Biomechanical comparison of innovative suture techniques for repair of Achilles tendon rupture in a porcine flexor tendon model

Geographic Variation in Low-Value Orthopedic Services Among Medicare-Enrolled Veterans