Plancher Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, PLLC

Understanding Your Intramedullary Nail

Advanced Care for Broken Bones

More than likely, you're already familiar with the non-surgical approaches that physicians use to help fractures heal. A doctor applies casts, braces, or splints around the affected area in order to hold the broken bone securely in position and provide support while the body repairs itself. In some cases however, particularly fractures of the long bones, today's best orthopaedic treatment includes securing the fracture internally with a metal intramedullary nail implanted by surgical procedure.

Your doctor has provided you with this booklet to answer some of the questions you may have about your broken bone and fracture treatment. It will also help you better understand what to typically expect over the next few days and weeks as you leave the hospital, begin physical therapy and follow up with your orthopaedic surgeon and physical therapist.

What is an Intramedullary Nail?

To align the fractured bones and provide optimal healing support, the orthopaedic surgeon makes a small incision through the skin and tissue closest to one end of the broken bones. The surgeon then inserts a small rod-like nail device into the hollow center of the bone, called the medullary cavity. The intramedullary nail forms a self-contained internal splint to stabilize the fracture. This is often done for fractures of the tibia (see below), femur (thigh), and humerus (shoulder).

Potential Advantages of the Intramedullary Nail

• Provides durable, strong and flexible support.
• Allows more exact alignment of the fractured bones for faster healing and may lead to earlier weightbearing.¹
• May lead to earlier joint motion for reduced stiffness.¹
• Encourages more natural-like motion in uninjured muscles and neighboring joints.