Locking intramedullary osteosynthesis of lower extremity fractures in General Hospital Karlovac
Abstract
Authors analyze the application of locking intramedullary implants (long and short Gamma 2 Stryker nail, Femoral locking S2 Stryker nail and Tibial locking S2 Stryker nail). Four and a half years follow up resulted with 183 GAMMA nails, 42 Femoral and 37 Tibial locking nails being implanted. Gamma nails were used to treat significantly older patients (average age 68.2 years) in comparison with patients treated with Tibial nails (average age 37.1 years) and Femoral nails (average age 38.1 years). We analyzed the length of hospital stay, technique of application (static or compressive), the relationship between open and closed reduction of the fracture, and morbidity. GAMMA nail had 12.5% morbidity while Femoral and Tibial nails had 16% which is similar to the literature data. The authors consider the short Gamma locking nail as the implant of choice for all unstable pertrochanteric fractures (loss of medial support) and the long GAMMA nail as an implant of choice for all subtrochanteric fractures. Femoral and tibial nails should be the implants of choice for all the diaphiseal and selected metaphiseal fractures. Biomechanical characteristics of these implants are superior to the plates, they produce less iatrogenic trauma, enable faster recovery and quicker return to everyday life.
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References
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