[Treatment of comminuted fractures of the femoral diaphysis].

The management of 51 comminuted fractures of the shaft of the femur, treated in Africa with limited facilities, is described. The majority were immobilised on traction followed by a period in a plaster cast. Two thirds of the results were judged to be good or very good. In fifteen cases traction did not produce satisfactory alignment. Intramedullary nailing was then employed between the 16th and 47th days, when the fractures were beginning to unite. The fracture site was opened but intramedullary reaming was not used. These relatively unsophisticated methods produced satisfactory results.