Objective: To investigate the effect of treatment of humeral shaft nonunion with interlocking nail and percutaneous injection of bone marrow after operation.
Methods: Twenty-five adult patients with humeral shaft nonunion, initially treated with plates, intramedullary nails, or external fixators changed to use RussellTaylor reamed antegrade intramedullary nails with autologous bone grafting and percutaneously bone marrow injection into the fracture sites ten days after the operation to promote union.
Results: All patients achieved a solid union with good function. The union period was a median of 4.5 months.
Conclusion: We believe that the procedure may provide firm internal fixation and improve activity of osteoblasts in fracture sites for accelerating fracture healing.