Floating knee injuries treated with single-incision technique versus traditional antegrade femur fixation: a comparative study.

Forty-three patients with floating knee injuries were treated from January 1994 through March 1999. The study group consisted of 25 patients treated with retrograde nailing of the femur and antegrade nailing of the tibia through a single incision, and the control group consisted of 18 patients treated with traditional femoral and tibial antegrade intramedullary nailing. The femoral retrograde technique required less set-up time, anesthesia time, and surgical time than did the traditional femoral antegrade technique and was associated with less estimated blood loss. We conclude that the single-incision technique is a safe and faster alternative procedure for type I floating knee injuries.