Preliminary retrospective analysis of combined retrograde tibial intramedullary nail and lateral less invasive stabilization system for distal femoral fractures

IntroductionThis retrospective study evaluated the preliminary results of combining retrograde tibial intramedullary nail with lateral less invasive stabilization system for treating distal femoral fractures.Patients and methodsThis retrospective analysis included 11 patients with distal femoral fractures who were treated with retrograde tibial intramedullary nail and less invasive stabilization system. The collected data included patient demographics, injury mechanism, surgery duration, intraoperative blood loss, bone union time, femoral-tibial angle, visual analog scale scores, knee range of motion, Hospital for Special Surgery scores, and complications.ResultsThe surgery duration ranged from 83 to 115 min, and blood loss varied from 120 to 210 mL. Patients were monitored for 9 to 15 months, achieving complete bone healing and full weight-bearing within an average duration of 5.3 ± 0.8 months and 55.7 ± 6.5 days, respectively. At the final follow-up, the visual analog scale scores ranged from 0 to 3, and the femoral-tibial angle measurement ranged from 169° to 174°. The knee range of motion ranged from 120° to 135°, and Hospital for Special Surgery scores ranged from 69 to 95. One patient developed a superficial incisional infection; no other complications were observed.ConclusionThe primary outcomes demonstrated that the retrograde tibial intramedullary nail-less invasive stabilization system combination provides stable fixation with minimal surgical trauma, rapid recovery, and a low complication rate, leading to favorable outcomes in distal femoral fracture management.