Use of inherent anteversion of an intramedullary nail to avoid malrotation in femur fractures.

Abstract

Rotational malalignment after intramedullary (IM) nailing of femoral fractures remains a significant problem. A technique using intraoperative fluoroscopy and the anteversion inherent to the IM nail for obtaining appropriate femoral rotational alignment is presented. The technique is advocated as a simple alternative to more complex methods for estimation of femoral anteversion during placement of femoral IM nails. This method is simple and requires intraoperative fluoroscopy on the injured extremity alone. It reliably sets the femoral anteversion within a normal physiologic range with minimal additional intraoperative steps and without preoperative measurements.