The Lefevre ulnar nail.

The Lefevre nail applies the principles of locked intramedullary nailing in the treatment of fractures of the ulna. It is made up of two segments which slide telescopically, so that assembly may be in compression, distraction or neutral. Fixation at the two ends of the ulna is guaranteed by two transverse screws. It may be used in pseudarthrosis and osteotomies for lengthening and shortening, as well as in simple or complex fractures. The cases presented provide an overview of the use of the nail at the Brest Center, where the nail was invented and developed, and at the Rizzoli Institute. The study includes 22 fractures, 1 pseudarthrosis and 1 osteotomy. Consolidation was obtained in all of the cases after an average of 2.5 months. Immobilization in plaster was required only in cases with associated lesion of radius. The functional results obtained were satisfactory.