Retrograde nailing with subsequent screw fixation for ipsilateral femoral shaft and neck fractures.
BACKGROUND
Although ipsilateral femoral shaft and neck fractures are difficult to treat, there is still no consensus on the optimal treatment of this complex injury. We report the results of treating the 17 fractures with a standard protocol of retrograde nailing for diaphyseal fractures and subsequent screw fixation for the femoral neck fractures.


METHODS
Seventeen injuries (16 patients) sustained femoral shaft fractures, which were treated with retrograde intramedullary nails and subsequent screw fixation. Femoral neck fracture was noted before the operation in all patients except one. A femoral shaft fracture was always addressed first with unreamed retrograde nailing. Then, the femoral neck fracture was treated by cannulated screws or dynamic hip screw according to the level of fracture.


RESULTS
The average time for union of femoral shaft fractures was 27.3 (14-60) weeks. Nonunion occurred in five patients, who required bone grafts or changes of fixation. The average time for union of femoral neck fractures was 11 (8-12) weeks. All united, except for one case of nonunion with avascuar necrosis, which was a Garden stage IV fracture. Functional results using Friedman-Wyman criteria were good in 16 cases, and fair in one. The only fair result was nonunion of the femoral neck, which had the joint arthroplasty.


CONCLUSIONS
Retrograde nailing of femoral shaft fractures can provide an easy fixation and a favorable result for ipsilateral femoral neck fractures.
Oh
Chang-Wug
CW
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 50, Samdok, Chung-gu, Daegu 700-721, South Korea. cwoh@knu.ac.kr
Oh
Jong-Keon
JK
Park
Byung-Chul
BC
Jeon
In-Ho
IH
Kyung
Hee-Soo
HS
Kim
Shin-Yoon
SY
Park
Il-Hyung
IH
Sohn
Oog-Jin
OJ
Min
Woo-Kie
WK
D000328:Adult; D001858:Bone Nails; D001863:Bone Screws; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged