Removal of broken distal intramedullary nail with a simple method: a case report

Abstract

Breakage of the intramedullary nail has long been recognized as an uncommon complication of intamedullary nailing of long bones. Retrieval of the distal fragment of a broken nail is a challenging problem. The surgeon needs to be familiar with as many methods of distal fragment extraction as possible. Herein we report a case of broken intramedullay nail, which was removed with a small reamer, wedged into the distal segment of the nail.