Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Fixing broken bones first requires reconstructing the fractured pieces before the permanent hardware can be attached to stabilize the bone. In fixing the femur (thigh bone), fractures are most commonly treated with a long nail placed surgically down the centre of the bone. Alignment of the fractured fragments is generally accomplished manually to allow an initial wire to be placed down the canal before the nail is inserted. However, current methods of fracture reduction remain technically challenging and are often time consuming extending the patient's time in the operating room. The objective of the proposed research is to design and evaluate a novel device that facilitates the initial reduction of fractured long bones. The design will allow navigation of the device through malaligned fracture fragments. The performance of the device (prototype) will be tested in its ability to reconstruct fractured femurs using a jig that enables simulation of consistent fracture displacement and compared to the standard fracture reduction technique. Performance will also be evaluated based on the time, radiation exposure and forces required to realign each fracture, as well as ease of use, potential user challenges and overall surgeon satisfaction. Overall, fracture reduction should be facilitated by the drivable nature of this new device. The potential for reducing operative times with this device may translate into both improved outcomes and reduced health care costs for fracture reconstruction of the femur and other bones.