[Fixation of nonunion of pediatric middle and distal shaft of the femur with semicircular dynamic locked intramedullary nail].

From Oct. 1994 to Dec. 1996, 15 nonunions of pediatric middle and distal shaft of the femur due to previous osteomyelitis and pathologic fracture and/or failed internal fixation were treated with semicircular dynamic locked intramedullary nail (SDLIN). SDLIN was composed of a lateral and a medial nail, both of them were inserted into the medullary canal 1.5 cm above the epiphyseal line, and the tails were connected together by a bolt. All the 15 cases used iliac bone autograft for the defect. Follow-uped for an average of 16.3 months, all of them were healed in an average of 4.8 months, and excellent and good results were obtained in 86.7%. The results suggest that the SDLIN is effective and convenient for the fixation of the refractory nonunion of pediatric middle and distal shaft of the Femur.