Limb salvage with tibial nerve repair via acute shortening and gradual lengthening in a Gustilo type IIIB tibial shaft fracture: EMG-proven reinnervation of intrinsic foot muscles

Limb-length discrepancy following lower-extremity trauma significantly affects patients' functioning and quality of life and is generally avoided by anatomical reconstruction. When lower-extremity trauma is accompanied by tibial-nerve injury, standard treatment protocols may require modifications. We describe a 38-year-old Japanese man with a Gustilo type IIIB open tibial-shaft fracture and complete tibial-nerve rupture, which we treated with acute shortening and gradual lengthening (ASGL). The tibia was shortened by 40 mm to facilitate the tibial nerve's direct end-to-end neurorrhaphy at a healthy site. Initial stabilization was achieved using an external fixator, followed by staged internal fixation and soft-tissue reconstruction with a free latissimus dorsi flap. Once flap integration was confirmed, gradual lengthening with an Ilizarov external fixator restored the limb length, with no length discrepancy. Two years post-injury, the patient regained protective plantar sensation and full weight-bearing ability. He achieved advanced functional milestones: a single-leg stance and hopping. Electromyography (EMG) confirmed the intrinsic foot-muscle reinnervation, including the abductor hallucis and interosseous muscles. The patient resumed snowboarding. This case demonstrates that ASGL has advantages for skeletal and soft-tissue reconstruction and nerve recovery optimization. Although nerve grafting can restore sensation, motor recovery is often limited. In young patients with a complete tibial nerve rupture, tibial shortening to allow direct primary repair may provide superior functional outcomes in both sensory and motor domains. This appears to be the first documentation by EMG of the functional recovery of intrinsic foot muscles following tibial-nerve repair.