Treatment of femoral shaft fractures in the spinal cord injury patient using the Wagner leg lengthening device.

External skeletal fixation for the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in the spinal cord injury patient is simple to apply, provides good fracture immobilization, affords easy access to the limb for skin care, and permits significant patient mobility and early return to pre-fracture functional status. This paper presents the rationale for the use of, and the technique of application of, the Wagner leg lengthening device for the external skeletal fixation of femoral shaft fractures in the SCI patient.