[Status of treatment and results in femur shaft fractures in the adult].

Surgical stabilisation by unambiguous principles of indication is the major purpose of the treatment of femur fractures in adults. An analysis of effectiveness is under discussion regarding various methods of osteosynthesis and their applicability to different types of cases. A comprehensive account is given in this study of methods chosen for and results of femur fracture treatment of more than 4,240 cases in 73 hospitals and wards throughout the GDR. Osteosynthesis accounts for 77 per cent of all approaches. This study, therefore, is confined to evaluation of surgical methods. The need for differentiated approaches is underlined by the results so far achieved. Particular emphasis is laid on the fact that in 85 per cent of all cases good results were obtained by intermedullary nailing.