Initial Clinical Experience with a Photodynamic Polymeric Nail (Illuminoss) For Upper Extremity Metastatic Lesions and Trauma

Intramedullary devices for long bones fixation are an important tool in the arsenal of the orthopaedic surgeon. Understanding of the importance of soft tissue envelope in fracture healing as well as the benefits of limited soft tissue dissection, has given rise to the constant evolution of new methods for intramedullary fixation, whether for trauma or pathologic conditions.

This is a report of our early experience with the IlluminOss PhotoDynamic Balloon (IlluminOss Medical, Inc., East Providence, RI, USA) for intramedullary fixation of non-weight-bearing long bones metastatic disease and fracture. We report a short series of five cases, of upper limb, long bone fixation, of which the characteristics of the condition challenged the common practice used today for fixation of long bones. Hence they were fixed with a novel polymeric balloon, which enables the surgeon to rapidly fix fractures with a method that minimises soft tissue injury, eliminates the need for proximal and distal locking, and potentially lowers complication rates, as well as limiting the interference with further imaging investigations.