Presentation of a Humeral Shaft Fracture Treated by Locked Intramedullary Nailing With Unlocked Technique

INTRODUCTION: Although intramedullary nailing (IMN) is used in a reamed or unreamed fashion for treatment of long bone fractures, the locked nails may also be used in the unlocked form if so decided by the orthopedic surgeon. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a 50-year-old man who had a shaft fracture of his right humerus. The fracture was treated with a reamed, locked IMN using unlocked technique. CONCLUSIONS: The functional outcome 22 months post injury showed that although primary treatment method uses locked IMN in humeral shaft fractures, unlocked IMN can be used in appropriate cases. Less injury risk to the axillary and radial nerve, short period of surgery, and less radiation can be considered as advantages of this technique.