
What is intramedullary nailing surgery?
Intramedullary nailing is surgery to repair a broken bone and keep it stable. The most common bones fixed by this procedure are the thigh, shin, hip, and upper arm. A permanent nail or rod is placed into the center of the bone. It will help you be able to put weight on the bone.
What are rods and nails internal fixation?
Internal Fixation: Rods and Nails What are rods and nails? Rods and nails are long cylinders that are made of surgical grade metal (stainless steel or titanium). These devices are inserted inside the marrow cavity of a long bone (tibia, femur, humerus, or forearm bones).
What are the risks of intramedullary nailing?
What are the risks of intramedullary nailing? 1 You may have an allergic reaction to the anesthesia or to the antibiotics. You may develop compartment syndrome. This is... 2 Your fracture may heal in an abnormal position. The ends of the fracture may not join correctly. This can prevent... More ...
What is an intramedullary device?
These devices are inserted inside the marrow cavity of a long bone (tibia, femur, humerus, or forearm bones). They are also called intramedullary (IM) devices, as they go inside of the bone.

What is intramedullary nail used for?
The intramedullary nail or rod is commonly used for long-bone fracture fixation and has become the standard treatment of most long-bone diaphyseal and selected metaphyseal fractures.
What is intramedullary nail surgery?
An intramedullary nail is a metal rod that is inserted into the medullary cavity of a bone and across the fracture in order to provide a solid support for the fractured bone. Intramedullary nailing is currently considered the "gold standard" for treatment of femoral shaft fractures (Rudloff 2009).
Is an intramedullary nail an implant?
The Intramedullary Nail System consists of metallic implants including interlocking intramedullary nails, interlocking fusion nails, and nail caps. Intramedullary nails contain holes proximally and distally to accept locking screws.
How long does intramedullary nailing surgery take?
The operative time for the nailing in our study was 175 minutes. Treatment goals include allowing early mobilization of the patient, restoration and maintenance of normal length and alignment, the ability to consistently achieve union, and to maintain a normal, functional range of motion in the hip and knee.
Is intramedullary nailing painful?
Improved biomechanics relative to plates and less direct fracture exposure are some of the potential benefits of intramedullary nails. However, persistent insertion-related pain is common and may limit satisfactory long term outcomes. The etiologies of this phenomenon remain unclear.
Can an intramedullary nail be removed?
Intramedullary nails used for fixation of femoral fractures may require removal for a variety of reasons. Some recommend that all such nails be removed after fracture healing,1,2 whereas others prefer to remove only those that cause symptoms.
Can a femoral nail break?
Breakage of the intramedullary femoral nail has an incidence of 4.7%. The broken nail removal is a challenging procedure for orthopaedists. Several broken nail removal surgical techniques have been described in previous case studies.
What are femur rods made of?
Rods and nails are long cylinders that are made of surgical grade metal (stainless steel or titanium). These devices are inserted inside the marrow cavity of a long bone (tibia, femur, humerus, or forearm bones). They are also called intramedullary (IM) devices, as they go inside of the bone.
What is displaced intertrochanteric fracture?
Intertrochanteric fractures are breaks of the femur between the greater and the lesser trochanters. They are extracapsular fractures that is, outside the hip joint's fibrous capsule. The epidemiology of intertrochanteric fractures is similar to that of femoral neck fractures.
How much does intramedullary nail cost?
The cost of the intramedullary nails and interlocking screws accounted for 79.6 % of the total supply and medication cost. Each intramedullary nail cost $95.00 while each interlocking screw cost $15.00. On average 2.6 interlocking screws were thus contributing a cost of $39.10 (range $0–$60.00; SD $15.00).
Is bone healing painful?
Sub-Acute Pain While the Bone is Healing After about a week or two, the worst of the pain will be over. What happens next is that the fractured bone and the soft tissue around it start to heal. This takes a couple of weeks and is called subacute pain.
How is intramedullary nailing done?
The surgeon will make an incision near the hip joint in order to insert a rigid rod (intramedullary nail) through the femur. The rod is fixed by screws at both ends and will keep the bone stable in order to ensure proper healing. In most cases, neither a cast nor brace will be required post-surgery.
How much does intramedullary nail cost?
The cost of the intramedullary nails and interlocking screws accounted for 79.6 % of the total supply and medication cost. Each intramedullary nail cost $95.00 while each interlocking screw cost $15.00. On average 2.6 interlocking screws were thus contributing a cost of $39.10 (range $0–$60.00; SD $15.00).
How long after tibia nail surgery can I walk?
Do not engage in prolonged periods of standing or walking during the first 7-10 days after surgery. Avoid long periods of sitting (without leg elevated) or long distance traveling for 2 weeks. You may move your hip and knee as often as you like to reduce stiffness. Please keep the splint clean and dry.
What are intramedullary nails made of?
Intramedullary nails, used to repair fractured femurs, are currently made from stainless steel or a titanium alloy. The nail is slightly curved (typically a 1 cm bow over a 30 cm length) and hollow. Some designs have a longitudinal slit and holes at either end in which to locate fixing screws.
Do intramedullary rods need to be removed?
Intramedullary rods , pins, and other implants do not help bones to heal faster. They do help to hold things in place while the body heals, and they are typically meant to stay in the body forever. There are cases, though, when removing metal plates and screws, or other implants, may be necessary.
What Do I Need to Know About Intramedullary Nailing?
Intramedullary nailing is surgery to repair a broken bone and keep it stable. The most common bones fixed by this procedure are the thigh, shin, hi...
How Do I Prepare For Surgery?
Your healthcare provider will talk to you about how to prepare for surgery. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of your surgery....
What Will Happen During Surgery?
1. You may be given general anesthesia to keep you asleep and free from pain during surgery. You may get medicine to block pain in nerves that are...
What Will Happen After Surgery?
1. Your legs may be numb for 6 to 12 hours after surgery if you had a spinal injection. You may have swelling and pain in your leg from surgery. Th...
What Are The Risks of Intramedullary Nailing?
1. You may have an allergic reaction to the anesthesia or to the antibiotics. You may develop compartment syndrome. This is a condition that develo...
How is a nail or a rod inserted into the center of a bone?
The doctor will use an orthopedic drill to create a canal in the marrow cavity in the center of the bone. This canal will be large enough for the nail or rod to fit inside it.
Why do you leave a nail in your tibia?
In certain situations where there is an underlying bone disease that makes the bones at risk for fracture throughout life (rickets, osteogenesis imperfecta, congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia) it may be preferable to leave the rod/nail inside the bone permanently to prevent re-fracture.
Why choose the International Center for Limb Lengthening?
Click here to learn why patients choose to be treated at the International Center for Limb Lengthening.
What are rods and nails?
Rods and nails are long cylinders that are made of surgical grade metal (stainless steel or titanium). These devices are inserted inside the marrow cavity of a long bone (tibia, femur, humerus, or forearm bones). They are also called intramedullary (IM) devices, as they go inside of the bone. The doctor may interchangeably refer to rods and nails as internal, intramedullary, or IM devices.
When are rods or nails used?
A nail or rod can be used to stabilize a bone after deformity correction or after a fracture so that the bone is held steady and protected while it heals. Special types of nails and rods can also be used to deliver antibiotics to an infected bone.
What is the difference between a rod and a nail?
Nails and rods are both inserted into the center of the bone, but only nails are attached to the bone with cross bolts or locking screws. A nail has small hole s drilled at both ends of the nail. Bone screws or pins are inserted through these holes and are then attached to the bone. They increase the stability of the nail inside the bone.
What are the advantages of using a rod or nail?
Rods and nails support the bone while it heals, which allows patients to put weight on the leg or arm faster. Putting weight on a bone promotes bone healing.
