Transport Intramedullary Nail for Nonunion.

J Orthop Trauma · Oct 01 2026 · Review

Crist BD, Lee MA

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California-Davis, Sacramento, CA

Orthopaedic Trauma

SUMMARY — THE REDUCTIONReviews internal bone transport with an intramedullary nail for nonunion with bone defects, covering planning, corticotomy, distraction, docking site and regenerate management, and the existing literature.
Abstract, as published

Nonunions with bone defects create technical challenges for fracture healing. All-internal bone transport with an intramedullary nail offers benefits over the other bone segment transport options including being simpler for the patients, avoiding the associated soft tissue issues that externally based implants or techniques and minimizing residual deformity by maintaining the anatomical axis along the intramedullary nail. This article reviews preoperative planning, technical tricks and specific techniques for internal bone transport, including the corticotomy, distraction, docking site and regenerate management, and the available literature.

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