Removal of a Bent Humeral Intramedullary Nail: A Case Report and Review of Removal Techniques.

CASE: We present a case of a (65°) bent intramedullary nail (IMN) in a humerus after a pseudoarthrosis in a 65-year-old man. Bent IMNs have been described in femurs and tibias, but are considered rare. Possibly even rarer is the bending of a humeral IMN. This report provides an overview of removal techniques and our approach to this uncommon complication: open sectioning of the bent IMN and 2-piece extraction through the fracture site. CONCLUSION: Removal of a bent or broken IMN is a rare and challenging surgical problem. A bent humeral IMN requires a different and more careful approach for extraction than bent nails in the lower extremity, given the greater potential for neurovascular disruption.