Ferry Scott T, Dahners Laurence E
Department of Orthopaedics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7055, USA.
J Orthop Trauma. 2006 May;20(5):351-3. doi: 10.1097/00005131-200605000-00009.
The use of flexible titanium intramedullary nails for management of pediatric long bone fractures and some adult fractures has become common. Nail removal after union can be challenging and often requires a larger exposure than nail placement to allow the insertion of grasping devices, such as pliers. A percutaneous technique for the removal of flexible intramedullary nails using extraction bolts from a broken screw removal set is presented. The technique is especially useful when the end of the nail is not prominent and where a hollow reamer from the same set can expose the nail end for the extraction bolt to be used.
