Management of ipsilateral fractures of the femoral shaft and distal femur with interlocking nailing

Supracondylar or intercondylar fractures of the distal femur accompanied by ipsilateral fractures of the femoral shaft are rare injuries that create significant treatment dilemmas for the orthopaedist. Intramedullary nailing of the shaft fracture interferes with open reduction and plating of the distal injury. Open plating of both fractures would require an extensive operative dissection of the lateral thigh. Through the use of interlocking nail techniques, ipsilateral fractures of the shaft and distal femur may be adequately stabilized. This report documents the preoperative planning and the operative procedure for this technique. Examples of the variable types of injuries treated are provided.