RETROGRADE INTRAMEDULLARY NAILING OF SUPRACONDYLAR FEMORAL FRACTURES

As an alternative to standard AO/Association for the Study of Internal Fixation plate and screw techniques, retrograde intramedullary locked nailing of supracondylar and intracondylar (AO/Association for the St udy of Internal Fixation Type 33) fractures is reviewed. This includes a historic review, the technique for knee arthrotomy, fracture reduct ion and nail insertion, and the reported clinical and biomechanical re sults. The retrograde intramedullary locked nail is a viable alternati ve for the treatment of AO/Association for the Study of internal Fixat ion Type 33-A and some C supracondylar femoral fractures and should be part of the internal fixation armamentarium, however, it does not rep lace the standard biologic plate and screw techniques for most fractur es.