A Suprapatellar approach, when compared to an Infrapatellar approach, yields less Anterior Knee Pain and better patellofemoral joint Function, for intramedullary nailing of diaphyseal tibial fractures. Results of a Randomised Controlled Trial.

This randomized trial demonstrated clinically meaningful differences in patellofemoral function, for a suprapatellar versus infrapatellar approach, with a greater than 10 point discrepancy in Kujala score at both 6 weeks and 12 months. Additionally, there was a clinically important difference in VAS knee pain scores for patients at 12 months, but not at 6 weeks, post operatively. These results contribute to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the functional and clinical benefits of the suprapatellar approach.