Abstract
Ten patients with humeral shaft fractures and no clinical or radiographic signs of healing after at least six weeks' immobilisation were treated by flexible intramedullary nailing using a closed retrograde technique. Bone grafting was not performed, and active movement was encouraged after operation. Nine fractures healed; the mean time to union was 10.5 weeks (range 6 to 22 weeks). One patient needed compression plating and bone grafting at 22 weeks, and another required re-operation for distal migration of the rods. There were no infections, nerve palsies or other complications. Stiffness of the shoulder which had developed during early treatment improved after operation.
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