First clinical experience with nonreamed intramedullary nailing in Lithuania

Algimantas Pamerneckas, Algimantas Petrulis, Giedrius Pilipavičius, Gintaras Tamulaitis, Vytautas Toliušis

Clinic of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, Lithuania

Key words: bone fracture, stable osteosynthesis, intramedullary nail, multiple injury.

Summary. Long bone diaphyseal fractures are very common. Limited choice of implants for treatment of these fractures in Lithuania often leads to unsatisfactory treatment results and complications. Unreamed intramedullary nailing is relatively simple and effective method for treatment of severely injured patients. Using this method early stabilization and rehabilitation, decreased number of complications, and shortened stay in hospital can be ensured. Indications, technique and early results of first fifty intramedullary fixations with unreamed nails performed in the Clinic of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Kaunas University of Medicine are presented.

Correspondence to A. Pamerneckas, Clinic of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, Eivenių 2, 50010 Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: alpa@kmu.lt

Received 20 October 2003, accepted 31 March 2004