Catastrophic Failure of a Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polyetheretherketone Tibial Intramedullary Nail: A Case Report.

Carbon-fiber composite implants are approved for clinical use in orthopaedic trauma applications. The rare failure of carbon-fiber implants presents unique challenges because typical extraction techniques cannot be used. With the patient described herein, a terminally threaded guidewire was used to cannulate and extract the distal segment of the nail.