Early experience with closed interlocking medullary nailing of the femur.

We report on the first 14 patients treated with the Grosse Kempf femoral locking nail in our hospital. As with simple closed nailing of the femur attention to detail in the operating theatre is important. To date there have been only a few minor complications with the procedure, apart from one non-union. It allows stabilization of complicated fractures of the femoral shaft particularly in patients with multiple and often bilateral injuries caused by high velocity. It is concluded that it is an excellent procedure for complicated unstable fractures of the femoral shaft which would otherwise be treated on traction, and that the procedure can be safely performed in any centre where closed intramedullary nailing is commonly practised.