The influence of intramedullary nailing upon the development of metastases in the treatment of an impending pathological fracture: an experimental study.

An experimental model has been developed in which the effects of a pathological fracture and intramedullary nailing on metastatic spread have been investigated. The endpoint used was the production of lung metastases in rats inoculated intracortically with a rhabdomyosarcoma. We have found that a pathological fracture markedly increases the incidence of lung metastases and that intramedullary nailing, by decreasing the incidence of fractures, decreases the incidence of lung metastases. The surgical procedure itself does not increase the incidence significantly. It is concluded that in metastatic disease prophylactic nailing of an impending pathological fracture is the treatment of choice.