The Schneider Intramedullary Nailing for Femoral Shaft Fracture

Kang, Chung Nam; Roh, Kwon Jae; Wang, Jin Man; Choi, Ki Hong; Cho, Dong Won

Abstract

The Kuntscher nail has been used widely for the treatment of femoral shaft fracture with the advantage of early weight bearing and early joint movement. But it has some disadvantages that are harmful in bone-union by the wide intramedullary reaming, and rotation and bending of the device. Schneider devised four flanged nail to be able to eliminate the disadvantage of the Kiintscher nail. The author have experienced the 16 cases of Schneider nailing in the fractures of femoral shaft at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ewha Womans University Hospital from Feb., 1982 to Apr., 1984. The following results were obtained. 1. There were common in male (14 cases) and active ages (13 cases). 2. The most common cause was trauma with 14 cases and the other was pathological fracture. 3. Indications of Schneider nailing were wide than those of Kiintscher nailing. 4. Usual intervals between the injury and operation was one week. 5. Mean operating time was one hour and 25 minutes, and blood loss during the operation was 410cc. 6. After treatment, we usually permitted the exercises of quadriceps setting and non-weight bering walking within 1 week, partial-weight bearing walking within 4 weeks and full weight bearing walking within 4 months. 7. The results of 13 cases among 15 cases were better than good. 8. There were no complications such deformities as rotation, shortening and angulation because of specialized structure of Schneider nail. Also, Schneider nailing could prevent the nonunion and infection because there was need of reaming the medullary canal.