Healing of 56 segmental femoral shaft fractures after locked nailing: Poor results of dynamization

We treated 56 consecutive acute segmental femoral shaft fractures with closed static locked nailing. 12 nails were dynamized after 6 (5-10) months due to slow fracture healing and 5 united after another 5 (3-8) months. The other 7 required cancellous bone grafting and all healed uneventfully 6 (5-8) months after grafting. Since dynamization did not promote healing in most of our cases we suggest early cancellous bone grafting in cases of delayed union.