In this type of operation, metal pins or screws are placed through the bone above and below the fracture. The pins or screws are being held by a metal bar outside of the skin. This procedure holds the bones in proper place while they heal. In cases where the skin and other tissues around the fracture area might be badly damaged, an external procedure may be done until surgery occurs.
Similarly, there’s the Open reduction and internal fixation, this is when the bones are aligned and held together with special screws, nails, or by attaching metal plates on the outside surface of the bone. A process called traction is usually used to align a bone/bones by a gentle, steady pulling action on a limb or muscle to maintain the position of the fractured bone.
In my situation since the femur is our strongest bone and takes a lot of pressure mostly from our body weight, the doctor recommended it was best to place a rod & nails through the inside of my bone to hold it together so it can tolerate as much or even more weight as the regular bone