Dynamic compression nail: a preliminary report.

Ajay Gupta

doi:10.1186/1471-2474-2-6

Abstract

BackgroundInterlocking nailing, which has become the method of choice for treating fractures of the femoral and tibial shafts, still lacks ability to provide the important contact-compression at the fracture. An intramedullary compression nail is described, which provides axial compression at the fracture site with tightening of the specially designed distal interlocking screw. This uses the same principle as dynamic compression plating.MethodsThe study included 11 femoral and tibial nailings performed for various clinical applications such as acute fractures, non-unions and malunions.ResultsAll the fractures attained radiological union, with good skeletal continuity across the fracture, within an average time of 13 weeks in fresh fractures and 18 weeks in non-unions.ConclusionsActive compression through intramedullary compression nailing has great utility for treating non-unions where it provides greater degree of impaction of its irregular ends. This may prove greatly advantageous to the fracture union through increased stability and the osteogenic potential, particularly when utilized in combination with the small diameter unreamed nails.

Highlights

Interlocking nailing, which has become the method of choice for treating fractures of the femoral and tibial shafts, still lacks ability to provide the important contact-compression at the fracture
It offers a load bearing-device with excellent stability against the axial and rotational deformation of the fracture. It involves much less surgical exposure and the reduced risk of infection. It fails to create the contact compression at the fracture surfaces, which is a desirable physiological stimulus to fracture union providing a distinct advantage to the compression plating
The 3.5 mm diameter screw has a screw head of 6 mm diameter and Materials and methods This study comprised of 11 patients with dynamic compression nailing

Summary

Introduction

Interlocking nailing, which has become the method of choice for treating fractures of the femoral and tibial shafts, still lacks ability to provide the important contact-compression at the fracture. The interlocking nailing which was first described by Modney [1] in 1953, has undergone many design modifications since and has almost completely replaced the plating in the present day It offers a load bearing-device with excellent stability against the axial and rotational deformation of the fracture. The telescopic locking nail [3] and the intramedullary compression nail [4,5,6] described to provide a reliable, innovative intramedullary nailing technique of the third generation, provide active compression of the fracture surfaces They have proved to have excellent usefulness in managing the acute fractures and in many types of revision surgeries like corrective osteotomy, stabilization after pseudoarthrosis resection and arthrodeses.

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Discussion

Conclusion