The SIGN System
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Why IM Nails?
Severe fractures require surgical intervention.
Pictured here is a fracture of the tibia (lower leg bone). Many times, a trauma fractures the bone into several pieces. Without surgical intervention, the broken ends of the bone cannot knit together properly, which can leave the patient disabled for life. In adults, a cast or a splint is insufficient to treat a fracture like this, where the bone has been completely broken in two. This fracture is typical of what SIGN surgeons normally treat.
These fractures are common in developing nations where bicycles and motorbikes are the primary mode of transportation, and overcrowded streets make accidents frequent. The large number of fracture injuries, coupled with the lack of adequate treatment, is responsible for a staggering number of disabled people in developing nations.
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IM Nails are the medical standard for surgical intervention.
Pictured on the left is the same fracture as shown above, following treatment with a SIGN Intramedullary (IM) Nail. The IM nail is a long rod made of surgical-grade stainless steel which passes through the canal of the bone to secure pieces together and allow for proper healing.
The nail is secured to the bone on either end by cortical screws which pass through the bone and through holes in the nail. The screws can be seen in the x-ray as short, white lines running perpendicular to the IM nail.
This technique is state-of-the-art fracture treatment. It is the standard method of treating serious fractures in developed nations, making such fractures little more than painful (and temporary) inconveniences. Until recently, this kind of treatment has only been available in wealthy western nations. SIGN's goal, however, is to make this the world-wide standard for fracture treatment.
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SIGN surgeon Dr. Larry Hull
