Antebrachium fractures: rush pin fixation today in the light of late results.

A study was undertaken to clarify the usefulness of the Rush pin intramedullary semirigid nailing technique in the treatment of 88 antebrachium fractures in 48 consecutive adult patients during the years 1966 through 1977. Of the patients 45 were followed for an average of 7.6 years (range, 2-14 years). The clinical results (antebrachium and wrist movements) were good in 78% of the cases with few complications. Union was delayed in five cases. There were no cases of wound infection, nonunion, or bone atrophy. The method was suitable for almost all types of fracture, even in elderly patients. Severe comminuted fractures with a shortening tendency on the radius require a special technique to prevent ulnar variance. The low degree of operative trauma may contribute to the excellent results obtained with the Rush technique.