INTRAMEDULLARY NAILING IN THE TREATMENT O F NON-UNIONS AND DEFORMITIES

Intramedullary stabilization can provide fast bone consolidation in ca ses of delayed fracture healing and hypertrophic non-unions. The indic ation for intramedullary nailing must be exactly adapted to the indivi dual situation. An analysis of our own cases revealed bony healing in hypertrophic non-unions of femoral shaft fractures in 93 % and in 94 % of tibial shaft fractures after reamed intramedullary nailing. In sel ected cases of axial or rotational deformities or length discrepancy o f the femur and the tibia, a correction osteotomy can be performed wit h intramedullary nailing. Tf it is necessary to expose the non-union a nd in axial or rotational deformities a rotation-stabilizing plate can be applied in addition to the intramedullary nail.