MECHANICAL COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF THE UNREAMED AO FEMORAL INTRAMEDULLARY NAIL WITH SPIRAL BLADE - FIRST EXPERIENCES WITH 35 CONSECUTIVE CASES

Objective: To evaluate the unreamed femoral nail with spiral blade (UF N-SB) in the treatment of subtrochanteric femur fractures. Design: Ret rospective review of a consecutive series of twenty-eight fractures. S ixteen patients: had metastatic disease. Setting: Academic teaching ho spital. Main Outcome Measures: Clinical and radiographic examination. Results: Five mechanical complications were observed in four patients. In one patient with a metastastic fracture, we noted a breakage of th e SE twice, In patients with traumatic subtrochanteric fracture, migra tion of the SE was observed three times, needing reintervention twice. Conclusions: Although this implant is useful in the treatment of subt rochanteric femur fractures, it is our contention that the problem of subtrochanteric fracture fixation is not solved with this implant, esp ecially in elderly osteoporotic patients who require early weight bear ing.