TREATMENT OF SUPRACONDYLAR FEMORAL FRACTURES WITH A RETROGRADE INTRAMEDULLARY NAIL

From August 1992 to January 1995, 24 patients with 26 supracondylar fe moral fractures were treated with a retrograde intramedullary nail, Th ere were 22 patients with 24 nails available for review. Eight fractur es were open and 13 were intraarticular fractures. There were a signif icant number of associated injuries. The average followup interval was 18 months (range, 4-36 months). All fractures healed by 4 months, (av erage, 3 months). Only 1 patient required bone grafting, There were no implant failures or superficial or deep infections, One malunion occu rred, Average knee range of motion was 104 degrees. A preciously descr ibed rating scale was used to evaluate function, There were 4 excellen t, 16 good, 2 fair, and 2 poor results, The supracondylar nail provide s rigid internal fixation for rapid healing and comparable functional outcomes to lateral fixation devices with significantly less soft tiss ue dissection.