title: Interlocking nailing for the treatment of femoral fractures due to gunshot wounds.
abstract: Fifty-six patients who had a fracture of the femur due to a low-velocity gunshot injury were treated with interlocking nailing with the Grosse-Kempf nail. Patients who had an isolated fracture were treated by intravenous administration of antibiotics followed by delayed interlocking nailing. Ninety-three per cent of the fractures had Grade-III or IV comminution. At an average duration of follow-up of sixteen months (range, twelve to twenty-nine months), the results of closed interlocking nailing were excellent. All of the fractures united an average of twenty-three weeks (range, fourteen to forty weeks) after the nailing. There were no apparent infections in the entire series. There were two delayed unions and seven malunions. Five patients had a serious associated vascular injury; four of these five had interlocking nailing immediately after vascular repair. The fractures united without any residual vascular insufficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wiss
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Brien
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001858:Bone Nails; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000601:surgery*