46 patients with occult fracture on middle third of tibia shaft due to many causes were surgical treated by intramedullary fixation with Küntscher nail: 37 patients were treated at Viet Duc Hospital from January 1996 to July 1999 and 9 patients were treated at Hospital No 103 from April 1993 to July 1999. Outcomes: very good 27 cases (84.37%), good 5 cases (15.63%). Advantages of this procedure were firm fixation; early rehabilitation that helping bone union; easy to use so that it can be used at all hospitals; dissection of periosteum in this procedure is less than fixation with screw that making less vascular damages and better healing. Disadvantages were higher risk of infections, slower bone union, and this procedure can’t be used for fracture of upper or lower third of tibia shaft
Tibial Fractures ; Fractures, Bone ; Therapeutics ; surgery ; nails

Malaria situation in Lao Cai was stable during 4 first months of 2008. Number of malaria patients has decreased by 39.88% so that the rate of malaria patients/population was reduced by 39.28% compared to the same period of the last year. No malaria parasites were found. The malaria prevalence was reduced in all districts compared to that of the same period of the last year. All the former malaria foci were stable with no new malaria patients found. The survey, however, revealed some weak points in the malaria surveillance network. Blood slides were not taken or taken in inconsiderable number in many communes; blood films were too small of slides were labeled over the blood film. Ten of fifty microscope points (20%) over the province had stopped working due to many reasons: movement of the staff, on training, birth leaves and so on. Forty microscope points were checked and ranked. Only 15 microscope points were ranked "good" (37.5%) as found to regularly work. These points were located mainly at hospitals, inter-communal clinics. Twelve others (12%) were ranked" fair" and 3 points (7.5%) were "weak". Many commune health centers did not regularly report monthly malaria data, or reported insufficient and wrong information causing incorrect data of the upper levels.
Malaria control ; Lao Cai province