The new unreamed AO nails for the tibia and the femur.

The advantages of the unreamed nailing technique compared to the reamed procedure are less damage to bone vascularity, lower intramedullary pressure during the operation and a fast operation time. These new solid nails with high mechanical stiffness and no central dead space have extended the nail indications for tibial as well as for femoral fractures, particularly in tibial shaft fractures with severe soft tissue damage and in polytraumatized patients with a femoral shaft fracture. Besides these advantages the new AO unreamed femur nail has a modular proximal interlocking system, which increases significantly the range of indications for nailing. Not only very high subtrochanteric femur fractures can be stabilized with greater stability, but also combined ipsilateral fractures of the shaft and the proximal femur can be treated with this new nail. The first clinical results of the AO unreamed nails for the tibia as well as for the femur are very encouraging. The unreamed nails prove to be excellent implants in the treatment of long bone fractures of the lower extremity.