Iatrogenic nerve injury with the Russell-Taylor humeral nail

The first consecutive 51 humeral shaft fractures treated with the Russell-Taylor intramedullary nail at Glasgow Royal Infirmary were reviewed in a retrospective study. There were eight iatrogenic nerve injuries- three to the radial nerve which settled spontaneously and five to the lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm of which three have failed to recover completely. The authors feel that the insertion of the distal interlocking screw in the antero-posterior direction puts this nerve at risk. We believe that iatrogenic injury to the lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm during humeral nailing has not been previously reported.