CASE REPORT article
Front. Surg.
Sec. Orthopedic Surgery
This article is part of the Research TopicInnovations and Advancements in Intramedullary Nailing for Lower Limb Fracture ManagementView all 4 articles
Application of a Humeral Intramedullary Nail for Subtrochanteric Fracture in a Patient with Poliomyelitis Sequelae: A Case Report
Provisionally accepted
- Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Objective: To investigate the clinical feasibility and efficacy of using a humeral intramedullary nail for the treatment of subtrochanteric fracture in a patient with ipsilateral poliomyelitis sequelae. Methods: A case of a 54-year-old female patient with a left subtrochanteric fracture caused by a traffic accident was reported. The patient had a 50-year history of ipsilateral poliomyelitis, leading to developmental deformity and severe stenosis of the femoral medullary canal in the affected limb, which could not accommodate a conventional femoral intramedullary nail. Therefore, we innovatively used a 7mm diameter humeral interlocking intramedullary nail for internal fixation. Limited open reduction was performed during surgery, supplemented with cerclage wiring to enhance fracture stability. The medullary canal was reamed to 8mm, after which the nail was successfully inserted. Results: The surgical procedure was smooth. Intraoperative fluoroscopy and postoperative X-rays showed satisfactory fracture reduction and good positioning of the internal fixation. The patient was followed up for 30 months. Imaging examinations confirmed bony union of the fracture without complications such as failure of internal fixation. Ultimately, the walking and flexion functions of the left lower limb recovered to the pre-injury level. Conclusion: For special types of subtrochanteric fractures with severe femoral medullary canal stenosis due to conditions like poliomyelitis sequelae, the application of a humeral intramedullary nail is a safe and effective innovative treatment strategy. This approach provides reliable intramedullary fixation. This experience offers a valuable reference for managing similar complex orthopedic problems.
Keywords: case report, Fracture Fixation, humeral intramedullary nail, Poliomyelitis sequelae, Subtrochanteric fracture
Received: 15 Jan 2026; Accepted: 06 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Yu, Sheng, Ao, Liu and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jun Zhang
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