title: Percutaneous antegrade intramedullary nailing of the femur in obese patients.
abstract: Antegrade intramedullary nailing using the piriformis fossa as an entry point for insertion has become the treatment of choice for most diaphyseal fractures of the femur. In obese or well-muscled patients, however, creating an entry point can be difficult. This difficulty has led some authors to switch to retrograde intramedullary nailing. Unfortunately, retrograde nailing is associated with higher nonunion rates and increased incidence of knee pain and stiffness. We describe an antegrade nailing technique that is useful and easy to perform even in obese patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Illinois, 835 S Wolcott Ave, M/C 844, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Zafar
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Benjamin A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Goldberg
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans