Functional outcome following fixation of diaphyseal fracture of femur with closed intramedullary interlocking nail in adults: A prospective study

Abstract

Background: Diaphyseal fracture of the femur in adults is one of the most commonly faced fractures in the orthopaedic practice. It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients who sustain high-energy trauma, as the femur is the largest bone of the body and is covered with extensive soft tissue cover. There are multiple techniques available at present for their management. The technique chosen should cause minimal soft tissue and bone damage. We planned to study the functional outcome of the closed intramedullary interlocking nail in diaphyseal fracture of the femur in adults.Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study on 60 patients with femur shaft fractures managed by intramedullary interlock nails was done at a tertiary care centre between April 2018 to March 2019. The patients were followed up at regular intervals at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and one year. The clinical, radiological evaluation was done for each patient and the final observation was made according to the criteria by Thorsen et al. Results: The clinical, radiological evaluation was done for each patient and the final observation were made according to the criteria by Thorsen et al., There was excellent results in 70% of cases, good results in 23% and fair to poor results in 7% cases. Conclusion: Earlier the patients were taken up for surgery, easier the reduction and nailing by the closed method. Static locking is advisable in severely comminuted fractures to avoid shortening. We conclude that closed reamed interlocking intramedullary nail in femoral shaft fracture is the treatment of choice.