Iatrogenic sciatic nerve injury secondary to clamp placement around the femoral neck during proximal femoral fracture intramedullary nailing

Abstract

- 20-year-old male road-traffic accident- Sustained right acetabulum fracture, left proximal femur fracture, right patella fracture and pulmonary contusions- Had fixation within 4 days of his left proximal femur fracture and his right acetabulum: - Following fixation of his left femur fracture, developed symptoms of complete left sciatic nerve palsy. - At the time of surgery, a heygroves clamp around the neck of the femur was used to assist in the reduction of the fracture. - Subsequent exploration of the sciatic nerve showed several clamp indentations on it but fascicles in continuity.- Nerve conduction studies at 4 months post-operatively confirmed a high sciatic nerve injury.- The patient has still not recovered any function 1 year post-operatively.

Keywords

• Femoral fracture
• Sciatic nerve
• Nerve palsy
• Clamp