Complication following intramedullary fixation with a Fixion nail in a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta: A case report

Abstract

Osteogenesis imperfecta (O.I.) is a genetic disorder with increased bone fragility and low bone mass. We report the history of a 17-year-old male patient with O.I. who presented a fracture of his left femoral shaft. He had osteogenesis imperfecta type I A according to Silence. He had presented two years previously an ipsilateral cervical fracture of the femur which had healed. Intramedullary fixation with a Fixion intramedullary nail was elected. While the Fixion nail was being inflated to 70 bars with saline, a longitudinal fracture occurred in the femoral shaft. A conventional intramedullary nail and cerclage wire were applied for fixation. The fracture healed without complication in 10 weeks. Based on this observation, we do not recommend using the Fixion IM nail for fracture fixation in patients who have abnormal bone fragility such as in osteogenesis imperfecta. © 2005, Acta Orthopædica Belgica.