Plate and screw fixation by autogenous corticocancellous grafts in comminuted fractures of the femur.

ABSTRACT

The authors present the results of 25 recent cases of comminuted fractures of the femoral shaft treated by internal plate fixation supplemented by autogenous cortico-cancellous grafts. These were cases in which intramedullary nailing was not practicable and simple plate fixation was deemed to carry a high risk of failure. The results were excellent in all cases, with no complications such as failure of the fixation or pseudoarthrosis. This study confirms the validity in such cases of supplementing rigid internal fixation with autogenous cortico-cancellous grafts as a primary procedure in such high risk cases.