Closed intramedullary rodding of pathologic fractures with supplemental cement

Internal fixation, supplemented with methylmethacrylate to fill bone defects, is the standard treatment for pathologic fractures. Unfortunately, internal fixation procedures often entail substantial blood loss and a not inconsequential risk of infection, problems with which the debilitated patient is poorly able to cope. Techniques such as closed intramedullary rodding entail less operative morbidity but may not produce complete stabilization and immediate pain relief. This report describes a technique that minimizes operative morbidity and produces immediate fracture stabilization by use of closed intramedullary rodding and injection of methylmethacrylate through a cortical drill hole in the long bone.