Assistant System for Locking Intramedullary Nails Used to Repair Fractures of the Long Bones

Every year, more than 492,000 orthopedic surgeries are performed throughout the world to repair fractures of the long bones. The most commonly used method of repair is closed intramedullary nailing. According to surgeons, the most difficult task of this method is the distal locking of the nail. This work proposes a new system for locating the holes of intramedullary nails used for these fractures. The proposed method uses permanent magnets and magnetic sensors to locate on the bone the exact drill point with which to secure the nail. The method is developed with the intention of reducing the large doses of radiation to which surgeons and patients are exposed when applying traditional nailing methods. The system is portable and runs on batteries, so it is totally autonomous, easy to use and very reliable.