Use of provisional K wires instead of Poller screws for treatment of diametaphyseal fractures of the distal femur and proximal and distal tibia

Abstract

There are several important technical points that need to be observed when using an intramedullary nail to fix diametaphyseal fractures of femur and tibia. We aimed to describe a technique using 3.0-mm K wires, which act like Poller screws, in conjunction with intramedullary nails to obtain alignment of diametaphyseal fractures of the femur and tibia, and present our results. 7 distal femoral, 2 proximal tibial, and 4 distal tibial diametaphyseal fractures who were treated with this technique were identified. There was no case of nonunion at the last follow-up. In all, 12 of the 13 patients had postoperative fracture angulation that was less than 5 degrees degrees in the coronal and sagittal planes. K wires function essentially as a Poller screw for centralization of the nail and help to ensure reduction. Locking the nail in different directions, appropriate reduction can be maintained until the bone heals and there is no need for additional fixation material.