Treatment of impending and actual pathological femoral fractures with the long Gamma nail in The Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the results of stabilising impending and actual pathological femoral fractures using the long Gamma nail with the published results of other methods.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

20 hospitals throughout The Netherlands.

PATIENTS: 101 patients with metastases in 110 femurs, which were stabilised with a long Gamma nail.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Functional results and complications.

RESULTS

Minimum follow-up was 1.5 years or until death, Mean survival was 12 months (range 0-82). 14 patients died in hospital; 5 had technical complications and fat embolism was suspected in 3 patients. 92% of the patients became mobile and pain was absent or acceptable in 93%.

CONCLUSION

The use of the long Gamma nail produces better functional results, fewer technical complications, and an incidence of general complications no different from those reported for other methods.