Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41657675›Full record

ArticleAnnals of joint2026

Technical considerations and early results of magnetic compressive intramedullary nailing for tibial and femoral shaft non-unions: a case series.

Daniel J Cognetti, Jose M Gutierrez-Naranjo, Abdullah Ghali, Eduardo Valero-Moreno, Thomas L Hand, Ravi A Karia

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In one paragraph

Article in Annals of joint, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Daniel J CognettiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8507-6001
Jose M Gutierrez-NaranjoDepartment of Orthopaedics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0880-6466
Abdullah GhaliDepartment of Orthopaedics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Eduardo Valero-MorenoDepartment of Orthopaedics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Thomas L HandDepartment of Orthopaedics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Ravi A KariaDepartment of Orthopaedics, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Non-union of femoral and tibial shaft fractures remains a challenging complication following surgical fixation. Magnetic intramedullary nails (mIMNs) allow controlled compression and distraction, offering a potential alternative to traditional exchange nailing or external fixation. However, limited clinical data exist regarding their efficacy and complications in treating long bone non-unions. This case series presents early outcomes and technical considerations of compressive magnetic intramedullary nailing for femoral and tibial shaft non-unions. Case Description: We conducted a retrospective case series at a level 1 trauma center in adult patients undergoing compressive magnetic intramedullary nailing of their femoral (n=5) or tibia (n=3) non-unions between 2017 and 2022. Eight patients were included with a mean age at surgery of 38±16 years and a mean follow-up of 16.1±8.7 months. All patients had at least one prior surgical procedure before mIMN. Five patients (62.5%) sustained initial open fractures. Six of eight patients (75%) achieved radiographic union at a mean of 6±2.6 months. Two patients did not achieve union for distinct reasons: one patient required an above-knee amputation due to deep infection, while the other, who had a persistent distal docking site non-union following bone transport with a magnetic nail, refused the recommended secondary surgery for bone grafting at the site. Conclusions: mIMNs are a potential solution for complex tibial and femoral shaft non-unions, providing stable fixation while enabling controlled bone transport without the need for external fixation. Early results demonstrate satisfactory union rates. However, comparative studies are required to clarify optimal indications, timing of compression, and long-term outcomes.

Indexed as

case seriesfemoral shaftintramedullary nail (IMN)non-unionTibial shaft

Identifiers

PMID41657675
PMCPMC12875802

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.