Treatment of Post-Traumatic Femoral Discrepancy With PRECICE Magnetic-Powered Intramedullary Lengthening Nails

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of lengthening post-traumatic femoral segments using a recently available magnetic intramedullary (IM) lengthening system. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Urban level II Trauma Center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Patients treated for post-traumatic femoral shortening at our institution between 2012 and 2015. We identified 17 femurs lengthened (14 men and 3 women). The mean age was 30 years (range, 11–72 years). INTERVENTION: Magnetic IM lengthening system. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Amount of lengthening achieved, consolidation index, and complications encountered. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 2.2 years (range, 1–3.7 years). Sixteen patients achieved the planned lengthening, a mean of 3.8 cm (range, 2.3–6.0 cm). Regenerate consolidation occurred at a mean of 119 days (range, 57–209 days). The mean consolidation index was 32 d/cm (range, 16–51 d/cm). Three patients (18%) experienced complications. CONCLUSION: IM lengthening nails are an improvement over external fixators for treatment of post-traumatic femoral shortening. Within certain limits, their use can be extended to problems of limb-length discrepancy with angular/rotational deformity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.