Treatment of Distal Radial Fractures with an Intramedullary Nail.

Abstract

This paper will describe the surgical technique for the treatment of unstable distal radial fractures with use of the MICRONAIL Intramedullary Distal Radius System (Wright Medical Technology, Arlington, Tennessee). The fracture must be adequately reduced and pinned prior to nail insertion. Protect the branches of the superficial radial sensory nerve at all times. Insert the nail to a depth to place the most distal screw just proximal to the radiocarpal joint line; confirm fluoroscopically that the screw does not penetrate the articular surface. Confirm that the proximal interlocking screws are bicortical for adequate fixation but are not too long. Use of a splint is followed by active and then passive range-of-motion exercises. We reported a prospective analysis of patients treated for an unstable distal radial fracture with an intramedullary nail. IndicationsContraindicationsPitfalls & Challenges.