Supracondylar Nail Research Articles

Ｚｉｃｋｅｌ Ｓｕｐｒａｃｏｎｄｙｌａｒ Ｎａｉｌによる大腿骨か上骨折の治療経験

Because fracture of the distal part of the femur can extend into the knee joint, profoundly affecting the function of the knee joint, choosing a method of treatment is extremely important.Nine cases of supracondylar fracture of the femur were treated at Social Insurance Chukyo Hospital, during 1988-1990, by Zickel supracondylar nails. There were three males and six females. The age at which injury occurred ranged from 16 to 83. The causes were a fall in six cases, traffic accident in two cases, and non-union in one case.All fractures healed completely. Range of motion of the knee was generally good, averaging 105°. This method can be performed in a relatively short period of time with minimal invasion. In addition, the surgical technique is easy. We believe that this method can make it especially suitable for use in older patients and in cases with complicaitons.

Management of supracondylar fractures of the femur with Zickel supracondylar nails.

Twenty-one cases of supracondylar fracture of the femur treated at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, during 1983-86, by intramedullary Zickel supracondylar nails were reviewed. The causes were high energy trauma in young patients (six), minor trauma in elderly patients (13), and metastatic malignant fracture (two). The functional results were considered excellent in 10, good in six and poor in five. There were two cases of superficial wound infection. All cases united after 3-6 months. The best functional results were in those patients below 60 years or with pathological fractures. It is concluded that internal fixation of supracondylar fractures of the femur with Zickel supracondylar nails is a successful technique and can be performed by open and closed methods. It is most useful in osteoporotic or pathological bone which is unsuitable for bone plating.

The use of Zickel supracondylar nails in the presence of a cemented hip prothesis

Zickel supracondylar nails are a useful method of treating fractures of the distal third of the femur. A case is reported to show their use is not precluded by the presence of a cemented hip prothesis.

Zickel Supracondylar Nails for Fractures of the Distal End of the Femur

Between 1974 and 1984 the Zickel supracondylar nail system was used to fix 82 femora. Sixty-nine femora had supracondylar fractures and 13 supracondylar osteotomies. A high rate of union (98%) was achieved in the fracture group, which included a variety of fracture types, but five supracondylar osteotomies failed to unite initially and required additional surgery. Knee motion exceeded 90 degrees in 70% of the femora that healed but was poorest in the T or Y intracondylar fracture group, in which only 46% exceeded 90 degrees. The operation may be performed as either open or closed nailing. Closed nailing, when possible, is the procedure of choice because of the decreased postoperative morbidity and increased knee motion. Two-thirds of this series were patients older than 60 years, and the device seems particularly helpful in aged individuals.