Interlocking intramedullary nailing for femoral shaft fracture in adolescents

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the clinical effects of interlocking intramedullary nailing for femoral shaft fracture in adolescents.Methods Forty-seven cases of femoral shaft fractures in 46 patients were treated with interlocking intramedullary nails.There were 33 males and 13 females,with the average age of 11 years 9 months(ranging from 8 years 9 months to 14 years).Results All fractures gained bone union with no malunion or delayed union.The average leg-length discrepancy was 4.6 mm(ranging from 6 mm to 14.7 mm).Three of the 10 patients had overgrowth beyond 10 mm.No patient developed avascular necrosis of the femoral head.The nails were removed at average of 13 months postoperatively,without refracture or femoral neck fracture.Conclusions Intramedullary nailing is a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in adolescents. Key words: Femoral fracture; Fracture fixation; internal