[Results of the Ender-nailing method in Austria. With special reference to the cases of the Lorenz-Böhler-Hospital (author's transl)]

Abstract

The problems of the method are briefly analyzed by the early results of together 2137 patients, who were operated in 10 different traumatological departments or accident-hospitals and by the late results of 109 patients, who were followed up in the Lorenz-Böhler-Hospital. The advantages of the Ender-method are: 1. relatively minimal operative stress to the patients (there are nearly no contraindications); 2. the low infection rate of 1.9%; 3. the favorable mechanical principle of these osteosynthesis, so that in 2137 there was no case with broken nails and no case with nonunion. 4. Rotational stability is better, than by Küntscher's trochanteric nail, because of the diverging tips of the nails in the head of the femur. Furthermore the insertion of the Ender nails does not injure the medial collateral ligament of the knee. 5. External rotation failures of the femur can be avoided by bending the nails in a second plane corresponding to the antetorsion angle of the collum femoris.