Journal of orthopaedic science : official journal of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association
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We have developed a new intramedullary nail (All-in-One Nail) that is specifically designed for elastic fixation of a surgical neck fracture of the humerus. This nail has three pins and a plate, and the pins become divergent as the nail is inserted into the marrow cavity through the deltoid tuberosity and then advanced to the humeral head. ⋯ Bony union was obtained in 29 patients, and these patients had a Japanese Orthopaedic Association shoulder score of 60-92 (mean 78) in a follow-up examination performed 6-32 months (mean 13 months) postoperatively. The All-in-One Nail system is easy to use, provides an acceptable clinical outcome, and is a treatment option for unimpacted surgical neck fractures and valgus-impacted fractures of the humerus.
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Spinal implants retrieved from 11 patients with scoliosis were examined. All the implants were posterior instrumentation systems made of 316L stainless steel and composed of rods, hooks, and crosslink connectors. Corrosion was classified into grades 0 to 3 based on macroscopic findings of the rod surface at the junction of each hook or crosslink connector. ⋯ It is thought that intergranular corrosion and fretting contributed to the corrosion of implants. The current study demonstrated that corrosion takes place at many of the rod junctions in long-term implantation. We recommend removal of the spinal implants after solid bony union.