A prospective evaluation of the AO/ASIF universal femoral nail in the treatment of traumatic and reconstructive problems of the femur

Beginning in October 1986, we prospectively evaluated the AO/ASIF Universal Femoral Nail in the treatment of traumatic (89 nails) and reconstructive (11 nails) problems of the femur. For treatment of isolated femoral fractures, the mean time of patient positioning and nail insertion was 2.4 hours with a mean blood loss of 389 ml. Seventy-eight per cent of the patients were followed for a minimum of 12 months. There were no infections, one case of nail failure, two cases of screw fracture, and three nonunions. Sixteen nails have been uneventfully removed. The AO/ASIF femoral nail provides results comparable to other intramedullary interlocking devices.