A distal-lock electromagnetic targeting device for intramedullary nailing: Suggestions and clinical experience

PURPOSE: To describe our clinical experience with a system named SureShot™ Distal Targeting (Smith & Nephew, Memphis, USA) based on magnetic field presence and discuss our suggestions on this technique. METHODS: We analysed prospectively 47 patients affected by humeral, tibial or femoral fractures, treated in our institution during a 3-year period of time (August 2010 to September 2013). We considered the following parameters: the time to set up, the time to position a single screw, the effectiveness of the system (drilling ad screwing), the irradiation exposure time during distal locking procedure and surgical complications. RESULTS: A total number of 96 screws were inserted. The mean preparation time of the device was 5.1 min ± 2 min (range 3–10 min). The mean time for single screw targeting was 5.8 min ± 2.3 min (range 4–18 min). No major complications occurred. Only a few locking procedures were needed to be practiced in order to obtain the required expertise with this targeting device. CONCLUSION: According to our results, this device is reliable and valid whenever the correct technique is followed. It is also user friendly, exposes to lower radiation and needs less surgical time compared to relative data from the literature. However, the surgeon should always be aware of how to use the free hand technique in case of malfunctioning of the system.