Effect of nailing technique on length of stay in isolated ballistic femoral shaft fractures

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate length of stay, postoperative mobilization and discharge disposition following intramedullary nailing of ballistic femoral shaft fractures stratified by nailing technique. Methods All adult patients with isolated ballistic femoral shaft fractures between May 1, 2018, and September 1, 2021, were reviewed. The final cohort included 69 ballistic femur fractures in 69 patients. Of the 69 patients included, 29 were treated with retrograde nailing while 40 were treated with antegrade nailing. Results The average length of stay of patients treated with antegrade nailing was 2.55 days (SD 1.3 days) compared with 3.45 days (SD 2.3 days) for patients treated with retrograde nailing; this was statistically significant (P = 0.04). Median steps on POD1 for antegrade nailing were 20 and 8 for retrograde. There was no significant difference in VAS pain scores between the two cohorts. All patients were discharged home. Conclusion The average length of stay for patients who underwent antegrade nailing was significantly shorter when compared with the retrograde nailing. Patients in the antegrade cohort mobilized further than the retrograde cohort in the immediate postoperative setting. We found no significant difference in VAS pain scores between the two cohorts. Level of Evidence: 3