title: Breakage of the radiopaque wire from the medullary tube during closed antegrade intramedullary nailing for femoral shaft fracture.
abstract: We report a complication of radiopaque wire breakage from the medullary tube during closed antegrade intramedullary nailing for a femoral shaft fracture. To avoid such complication, the medullary tube should be checked carefully for colour changes and surface defects, and tested for flexibility before each use. The medullary tube should also be replaced before 100 exposures to autoclaving.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. lewis@graduate.hku.hk
authors.forename: Ping Keung
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Kwok Bill
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Tun Hing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.forename: Wai Kit
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Ngai
mesh_terms: D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged