Acute prophylactic antibiotic nailing of open femoral shaft fractures for prevention of fracture-related infection

Background: Open, grossly contaminated femoral shaft fractures pose a significant threat for fracture-related infection. Traditional treatment for these injuries consists of irrigation and debridement with temporizing external fixation placement and staged conversion to definitive fixation.

Methods: We describe a protocol for acute antibiotic cement nailing of open femoral shaft fractures as an infection prophylaxis modality in fractures with a high risk of infection and present three cases.

Results: Three patients presented with open femoral shaft fractures with large soft tissue defects and gross contamination and were successfully treated with acute retrograde antibiotic nailing and external fixation with later conversion to definitive metallic nailing. They did not develop infection and had acceptable postoperative function and fracture alignment.

Conclusion: This technique of early infection prophylaxis after open femoral shaft fracture is reproducible, pragmatic, and cost-effective.