Fracture of an elastic humeral nail. A case report.


Published online: Apr 27 2003

Smith MG, Hashmi R, Elsworth CF.

Department of Orthopaedics, The Royal Oldham Hospital, Oldham, Lancashire, U.K.

Abstract

The use of elastic intramedullary nails for the treatment of diaphyseal fractures of the humerus has been associated with few complications. We report a fracture of an elastic Marchetti-Vicenzi nail used to treat a pathological fracture of the humerus. The failure of the intramedullary nail followed low-energy trauma and was presumably the end result of metal fatigue, as the original fracture had only healed after 13 months.

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