A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SOLID INTERLOCK INTRAMEDULLARY NAIL WITH CANNULATED OPEN INTERLOCK INTRAMEDULLARY NAIL OF ISOLATED FEMORAL FRACTURE

Objective: The aim of this paper was to compare the frequency of post-operative surgical site infection of solid interlock intramedullary nail with cannulated open interlock intramedullary nail for management of isolated femoral fracture.

Methodology: A total of 100 patients 50 in each group with Isolated femoral shaft fracture, closed femoral shaft fractures or Gustilo and Anderson classification type I open femoral shaft fractures, Solid and cannulated open interlock fixation for femur shaft fractures between 20-60 years of age of either gender were enrolled in the study. Patients with bilateral femur fractures, Ipsilateral fracture of any other bone of involved side, unfit for surgery or anesthesia with comorbid condition, conversion to intramedullary nailing from external fixator of femur and presented after 30 days of fracture were excluded from the study.

Results: In our study, out of 100 patients, 50 in each group, 18% n=9  in Group-A and 16% n=8 in Group-B were between 20-40 years of age while 82% n=41 in Group-A and 84% n=42 in Group-B were between 41-60 years of age, Mean±SD was calculated as 46.78+7.53 years in Group-A and 47.76+6.49 years in Group-B,  62% n=31 in Group-A and 60% n=30 in Group-B were male while remaining 38% n=19 in Group-A and 40% n=20 in Group-B were females, surgical site infection was compared in both groups and it was recorded in 26% n=13 in Group-A and 56% n=28 in Group-B while remaining 74% n=37 in Group-A and 44%(n=22) in Group-B had no findings of the morbidity, p value was calculated as 0.00 showing a significant difference between the two groups.

Conclusion: We concluded that the frequency of post-operative surgical site infection of solid interlock intramedullary nail is significantly lower when compared with cannulated open interlock intramedullary nail for management of isolated femoral fracture. However, our results may create awareness regarding use of solid interlock intramedullary nail for the management of femoral shaft fracture.

Keywords: Cannulated Open Interlock Intramedullary Nail, Surgical Site Infection, Ipsilateral Fracture