title: Knee pain and leg-length discrepancy after retrograde femoral nailing.
abstract: We retrospectively studied postoperative knee function and leg-length discrepancy (LLD) in 31 patients with femoral diaphyseal fractures treated with retrograde intramedullary nailing (IMN) between October 1998 and April 2000. Mean follow-up was 25 months, mean knee range of motion was 126 degrees, mean Hospital for Special Surgery knee scores were 89.2 (pain) and 78.3 (function), and mean LLD was 1.19 cm. Despite the theoretically higher knee pain and LLD rates associated with retrograde IMN, we believe it may offer a viable treatment option when the antegrade nailing technique is restricted.
authors.affiliation: San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reina
authors.forename: Fernando E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Vilella
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valenzuela
authors.forename: Gil
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nieves
authors.forename: Christian A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Foy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint; D007870:Leg Length Inequality / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012189:Retrospective Studies