Over-Reaming the Humerus to Place an IM Lengthening Nail Quality Improvement Case Series

Abstract

The fully implantable intramedullary nailing system is an elegant solution in limb lengthening that has become incredibly popular among both surgeons and patients. The system was initially used for lower extremity lengthening; however, it has also been used for humeral lengthening. In this case report, we describe a very difficult course of an infected nonunion secondary to humeral lengthening with an intramedullary device. The large atrophic nonunion was reconstructed in part with autogenous bone obtained in a minimally invasive fashion using a suction-based harvesting device. This case illustrates the importance of appropriate patient and implant selection and match and demonstrates the use of a novel suction-based bone harvester. Despite advances in the field of limb lengthening, the potential for major complications of these procedures should not be underestimated.