Published online Jan 21, 2022. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i3.1116
Peer-review started: July 10, 2021
First decision: September 28, 2021
Revised: October 11, 2021
Accepted: December 25, 2021
Article in press: December 25, 2021
Published online: January 21, 2022
Since 2006, introducing a tibial intramedullary nail via the suprapatellar approach has been established; however, nail removal must be carried out using classic infrapatellar access, which can lead to complications. Here, we report a new method to remove the intramedullary nail through the original suprapatellar incision.
A 39-year-old man was hit by a vehicle in 2019. He was immobilized with a 10-mm × 330-mm tibial intramedullary nail via the suprapatellar approach due to left middle tibial fracture. Two years later, the patient requested for the implant to be removed. We used a new method to remove the tibial intramedullary nail through the original suprapatellar incision, and the operation went smoothly.
This case report indicates that suprapatellar access can be used to remove the intramedullary nail via the original incision without infrapatellar access, thus avoiding surgical complications.
Core Tip: A 39-year-old man was immobilized with a 10-mm × 330-mm tibial intramedullary nail via the suprapatellar approach due to left middle tibial fracture. The end cap of the nail was purposely not inserted. Two years later, we used a novel method to remove the tibial intramedullary nail through the original suprapatellar incision.