A series of 103 cases of complex femoral fracture were treated with FMRP (Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto) nail. These fractures were treated from May 1987 until December 1995. From the 103 fractures, 67 were cominutive, 12 bifocal (segmental), 4 spiral, 13 proximal e 21 distal and unstable rotationaly. From the total of cases, 97 were statically locked and 6 dynamic. From these 97, only 7 were dynamised during evolution. Clinical and radiographic union had occurred in 97.09 per cent of cases with average of 16.72 weeks. In 3 cases the union did not occur with interlocking nail. There were 4 cases with suspected and 3 with established infection that were healed by the time of evolution. There were 81 cases of shortening that varied from 0.5 centimeter to 4 centimeters with an average of 1.0 centimeter. The shortening of less than and equal 2 centimeters occurred in 73 cases. The alignment distortion in any plane up from 10 degrees and equal to 15 degrees was observed in 8 patients. There were 10 cases of rotational deformities, but no case above 10 degrees. The infection incidence was low; and, the union incidence was high. The fracture stabilization had immediately allowed patient's mobilization, early rehabilitation and decreasing hospital stay, except in politrauma cases. The FMRP nail had allowed treating these kind of fractures without using any image intensifier or flexible reamers. Hence this method had turned the cost of treatment down. The outcomes were matching to those reported with intramedullary interlocking nailing which needs technical equipment more sophisticated.
