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Intramedullary nailing of abnormally bowed atypical femoral shaft fractures: surgical technique

  • Trauma Surgery
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Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The treatment of atypical femoral shaft fractures with abnormal bowing provides a unique challenge for surgeons. Whilst intramedullary fixation of atypical femoral shaft fractures affords both mechanical and biological benefits, the mismatch between standard intramedullary devices and the abnormal femoral bowing in these patients makes this method of fixation challenging for the surgeon. The purpose of this manuscript is to illustrate the evolution of our surgical technique through a series of four patients. The critical factors we identified include lateral positioning of the patient for reduction, the use of a piriformis-start nail, and an entry point that was anterior in the sagittal profile and lateral in the coronal profile. This technique was easily replicable, facilitated more anatomical reduction and aided in avoiding complications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore

    Mark Tan

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Woodlands Health Campus, 9 Maxwell Road, #03-01A, Singapore, 069112, Singapore

    James Wei Xuan Siow & Ernest Beng Kee Kwek

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  1. Mark Tan
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  2. James Wei Xuan Siow
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  3. Ernest Beng Kee Kwek
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Correspondence to Ernest Beng Kee Kwek.

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Tan, M., Siow, J.W.X. & Kwek, E.B.K. Intramedullary nailing of abnormally bowed atypical femoral shaft fractures: surgical technique. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 140, 353–357 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-019-03279-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-019-03279-4

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