A double compression medullary nail: preliminary report of an early clinical trial

The use of the double compression medullary nail in 5 cases of fracture of the femur is reported. The results are very promising as the nail gives excellent stability, affords efficient internal fixation of fractures of the proximal and distal thirds of the shaft, allows very early weight bearing and in this small series has brought about very early strong union with a minimal time in hospital and a short period away from work. There were no complications and no difficulties were encountered in nail extraction. We believe that this nail may prove to be the solution to the various biomechanical limitations of medullary nailing and may be the universal nail for fractures of the femoral shaft.