Complications in the use of the Bailey-Dubow extensible nail.

The results of 40 extensible intramedullary nailing procedures in 15 children who had osteogenesis imperfecta were reviewed to identify risk factors leading to complications of this method of treatment. There were 40 complications, 17 major and 23 minor. The 17 major complications led to 15 additional procedures, 10 of which were to remove or replace the implant. The prevalence of major complications was highest in patients who were younger than 5 years when the nail was inserted. Nails placed in the tibia tended to produce a higher incidence of major complications than did those placed in the femur, but this difference was not statistically significant. By survivorship analysis, patients had a greater risk of requiring a revision procedure when a technical error occurred at the time the nail was inserted. Patients who had nails placed in the femur tended to have a lower risk of needing revision surgery than did those who had nails placed in the tibia, but this difference was not statistically significant. The results suggested that the extensible nail is most advantageous in the femur and in patients older than 5 years. Avoiding technical errors when inserting the nail may improve the longevity of the device.