Surgical Treatments for Femoral Shaft Fractures: A Narrative Review

• Published in: Malaysian orthopaedic journal Vol. 17; no. 3; pp. 5 - 8
• Main Authors: BS, Fu, ZH, Zheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malaysian Orthopaedic Association 01-11-2023
• Subjects: femoral shaft fracture; intramedullary nail; malrotation; nail length; venous thromboembolism
• ISSN: 1985-2533; 2232-111X
• DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.2311.002

Femoral shaft fractures are increasingly common due to various traumatic injuries. Intramedullary nail (IMN) is considered the gold standard treatment for these fractures, but comorbidities often require thorough trauma life support and intensive care. The primary goal of treatment is rigid fixation, early mobilisation, and long-term functional recovery. This article reviews current concepts in the treatment of femoral shaft fractures, including the effects of early or delayed operation, differences between antegrade or retrograde intramedullary nailing, alternative methods to using a fracture table, methods to predict nail length before operation, assessing femoral rotation during an operation, and complications.