[Acumed intramedullary nail for the treatment of adult diaphyseal both-bone forearm fractures].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of Acumed intramedullary nail for the treatment of adult diaphyseal fractures of both-bone forearm fractures.

METHODS: From January 2009 to December 2016, 86 adult patients with both forearm fractures were treated by intramedullary nail including 54 males and 32 females with an average age of 36.8 years old ranging from 18 to 72 years old;There were 50 cases were on the right and 36 cases on the left. The operation time, blood loss and X-ray expose time intra-operation, time of fracture union, complications, DASH(Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire), Grace-Eversman criteria were recorded to evaluate the clinical outcomes of intramedullary nail for the treatment of forearm fractures.

RESULTS: All patients were followed up from 48 to 144 weeks with an average of 86.8 weeks; the blood loss intraoperation was 30 to 80 ml with an average of 52 ml; the the X-ray expose time was 1 to 6 min with an average of 2.5 min;the operation time was 31 to 55 min with an average of 46 min; Among them, 85 cases healed successfully, the union time was 10 to 16 weeks with an average of 13.3 weeks. There were 1 case of hypertrophic nonunion, 1 case of ulnar radial bone bridge formation, and 1 case of extensor hallucis longus tendon injury. The DASH score was 4 to 37(means 15.6); according to Grace-Eversman criteria, the results were excellent in 65 cases, good in 15, acceptable in 5, poor in 1.

CONCLUSIONS: Intramedullary fixation method in treating both-bone forearm fractures has advantages of closed application, short operation time, little complication, and clinical outcomes is satisfied.