Unstable femoral shaft fractures: a comparison of interlocking nailing versus traction and casting methods

Among 60 femur fractures not amenable to fixation by simple intramedullary nailing, 30 were treated with balanced skeletal traction followed by cast bracing or spica casting, and 30 were treated with closed interlocking nailing. The criteria for using an interlocking nail were fractures with less than 50% cortical contact or fractures with rotationally insecure purchase of the nail in either the proximal or distal fragment. In terms of fracture severity, patient age, injury severity, and clinical follow-up, the patient groups were similar. There were three open fractures in each group. The average hospital stay was 61 days for the traction group, and 19 days for the interlocking nail group (p less than 0.001). Time to clinical and radiographic union averaged 34 weeks with traction and casting and 18 weeks with interlocking nail fixation (p less than 0.001). Failure by the criteria of Johnson et al (2) occurred in 67% of the traction group and in 3% of the interlocking nail group (p less than 0.001). Minor complications were more common in the traction group. On the basis of this study and the experience of others, interlocking nail fixation appears to be the method of choice for managing unstable femoral shaft fractures.