Twenty-two femoral shaft fractures in 22 patients were treated by intramedullary nailing, 14 patients were operated with Küntscher nail and 8 patients were with Ender nails. According to the winquest and Hansen classification, these fractures were classified in Type II or in Type III. The period when full-weight bearing was permitted was earlier in patients who was operated with Küntscher nail than in Ender nails.
However, the time of bone union in cases operated with Ender nails was the same as in cases with Küntscher nails. The cases which showed radio-lucent zone at the distal points of Küntscher nails were shorter in period of bone union than others without radio-lucent zone. These results suggested that elastic fixation was better than rigid fixation in operative teratment for femoral shaft fractures by closed intramedullary nailing.
