Does the extent of prebending affect the stability of femoral shaft fractures stabilized by titanium elastic nails? A biomechanical investigation on an adolescent femur model.

Background: Elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) is a common procedure for stabilization of femoral shaft fractures in childhood. Prebending of the nail is generally recommended to achieve optimal nail tension at the fracture site. To our knowledge there are no published data on the effects of prebending on stability.