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Minimally invasive fracture fixation, by a specialist trauma surgeon.

MIPO, intramedullary nailing and percutaneous cannulated screws - the modern soft-tissue-friendly techniques for the right fracture, done by a BOA-affiliated trauma surgeon in a fluoroscopy-equipped theatre.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What private minimally invasive fracture fixation costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers.

In short

£8,000–£12,000, home the same day.

Procedure Indicative range
Percutaneous scaphoid screw £8,000–£12,000
Ankle percutaneous screw fixation £8,000–£13,000
Distal radius MIPO (volar locking plate) £9,000–£14,000
Clavicle MIPO £9,000–£13,000
Tibial intramedullary nail £12,000–£18,000
Femoral intramedullary nail £14,000–£22,000
Distal femur / distal tibia MIPO £14,000–£22,000
External fixator (damage-control) £10,000–£18,000
Consultation with imaging review £250–£450

Prices vary by hospital, by the surgeon, by the implants used and by whether a regional block or overnight stay is included.

The problem

The right surgeon, the right technique, the right implants.

Trauma is a specialty in its own right. A knee arthroplasty consultant is a wonderful surgeon - for elective knees. For a distal tibia MIPO or a scaphoid screw you want a trauma-fellowship surgeon who does this every week.

  • Fracture in the wrong hands?

    A general orthopod on the on-call list is not the same as a fellowship-trained trauma surgeon.

  • Told you need open surgery?

    For some fractures MIPO or a percutaneous screw is the modern answer. A second opinion often changes the plan - we set them up quickly.

  • Want faster return to activity?

    A soft-tissue-friendly fixation, an early weight-bearing plan and a physio waiting for you - that is the whole point of minimally invasive.

The journey

From imaging review to union - what happens, in order.

One trauma surgeon from imaging review through fixation, rehab and radiographic union.

  1. 01

    Before

    A short, confidential form and the X-rays or CT. Fracture pattern, mechanism, soft-tissue state, timing.

  2. 02

    Before

  3. 03

    Before

    Usually within a few days for closed injuries. Anticoagulants are reviewed and you are told exactly how to prepare.

  4. 04

    On the day

    Arrival at the hospital

    Admission, consent and a chat with the surgeon and anaesthetist. GA plus a regional block for most cases.

  5. 05

    On the day

    The procedure itself

    60–180 minutes in a fluoroscopy-equipped theatre. Closed or limited-open reduction, plate slid subcutaneously or nail passed intramedullary.

  6. 06

    On the day

    Same-day or overnight

    Many upper-limb cases go home the same day. Lower-limb IM nailing typically stays one or two nights for early physio.

  7. 07

    After

    Rehab, X-rays and union

    Fracture-specific weight-bearing regime, physio-led rehab, radiographs at 6–12 weeks to confirm union. We stay in the loop.

Typical end-to-end: days to 2 weeks from first appointment to fixation. Radiographic union: 6–12 weeks.

When it helps

The fractures a minimally invasive fixation was designed for.

The fracture patterns we see most, plus the red flag that means an emergency rather than an appointment.

  • Tibial shaft fracture

    Closed or low-grade open - reamed intramedullary nail is the workhorse and preserves the soft-tissue envelope.

  • Distal tibia (pilon) fracture

    MIPO with an anatomic plate through 2–4 cm incisions - the skin around the ankle is unforgiving of open surgery.

  • Distal radius (wrist) fracture

    Volar locking plate slid MIPO-style - smaller scar, faster return of wrist motion for the right pattern.

  • Scaphoid fracture

    Percutaneous Herbert or Acutrak screw through a stab incision - faster union and back to work than a cast.

  • Femoral shaft fracture

    Reamed intramedullary nail through a small proximal portal - the standard of care worldwide.

  • Peritrochanteric hip fracture

    Intramedullary (Gamma/PFN) nail through a lateral stab - early weight-bearing for elderly patients.

  • Clavicle or proximal humerus

    MIPO with a 3.5 mm or PHILOS plate - preserves the deltoid and periosteum for faster shoulder rehab.

  • Red flag: open fracture or compartment

    Bone through skin, a tense, painful limb after injury, or loss of pulses is an emergency - 999 or A&E, not a clinic booking.

Techniques

One label - a family of very different operations.

What each technique actually involves - and which fracture pattern it is designed for.

  • MIPO - plate osteosynthesis

    A long anatomically-shaped plate slid subcutaneously through two small incisions, then locked with percutaneous screws. Diaphyseal and metaphyseal fractures - distal tibia, distal femur, humerus, clavicle. AO Trauma-endorsed.

  • Intramedullary nailing

    A reamed or unreamed nail passed through a small proximal entry portal down the medullary canal, locked with percutaneous screws. The workhorse for femoral and tibial shaft fractures.

  • Percutaneous cannulated screws

    Guidewire-first through stab incisions - scaphoid, femoral neck (in situ pinning), pelvic ring, sacroiliac, tibial plateau, medial malleolus, calcaneal.

  • External fixation

    A pin-based frame outside the skin. Damage-control orthopaedics for open or complex injuries; temporary bridging to definitive; Ilizarov and Taylor Spatial Frame for deformity and limb reconstruction.

  • Percutaneous vertebral cement

    Kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures - cement injected through a small trocar under image guidance.

  • Minimally invasive sinus tarsi

    A small lateral incision for calcaneal fractures - lower wound-complication rate than the traditional extensile approach.

  • Percutaneous augmentation

    Percutaneous screws added to bridge plating or external fixation for tibial plateau and pilon patterns where indirect reduction suffices.

  • Consultation and second opinion

    An honest imaging review - is a minimally invasive approach realistic for your fracture, or is open direct reduction the safer answer?

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

Minimally invasive fixation is the modern standard for many fracture patterns, but it is still major orthopaedic surgery. The things worth planning are the weight-bearing regime, the rehab plan and knowing what is normal after.

  • Not every fracture is suitable

    Comminuted articular fractures often need open direct reduction to restore the joint surface. A soft-tissue-friendly technique is not the same as the right technique.

  • Fluoroscopy means some radiation

    Image intensifier time is kept as low as reasonably achievable, but there is exposure. It is worth knowing, particularly in pregnancy.

  • Weight-bearing depends on the fracture

    Immediate for some IM nails, delayed six to twelve weeks for others. Follow the surgeon’s regime - it protects the fixation.

  • Hardware pain is common

    Prominent screws or plates under thin skin (ankle, clavicle, wrist) can be uncomfortable long-term. Removal at 12 months is offered in 10–20% of cases.

  • DVT prevention matters

    Lower-limb fractures raise clot risk. Chemical prophylaxis, calf pumps and early mobilisation are all part of the plan.

  • Nerve injury is uncommon but real

    Radial nerve with humeral fixation, superficial peroneal with tibial approaches, common peroneal with fibular work - talked through beforehand.

  • Compartment syndrome - the emergency

    Increasing pain, tightness or numbness in a limb after tibial fracture is not normal. Call the surgeon or attend A&E the same day.

  • Non-union happens

    Fracture union at 6–12 months is 90–95% for well-selected cases. Smoking, diabetes and delayed weight-bearing are the modifiable factors.

  • Red flags after surgery

    Fever, spreading redness, wound discharge, sudden severe calf pain or breathlessness are not normal - call the team or A&E the same day.

Reading your operation note

Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever technique was used, the note the trauma surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK orthopaedic trauma surgeon reviewing intraoperative fluoroscopy

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Fracture pattern and mechanism

    The AO/OTA classification, mechanism of injury and any associated soft-tissue grading - Tscherne for closed, Gustilo–Anderson for open.

  2. 02 Technique

    Fixation method and implants

    Whether MIPO, IM nail, percutaneous screws or external fixation - with implant type, size and screw configuration recorded.

  3. 03 Findings

    Reduction quality and fluoroscopy

    Alignment, rotation and length as checked on the image intensifier, plus any incidental findings on intraoperative imaging.

  4. 04 Impression

    Weight-bearing plan and follow-up

    Read this first: the weight-bearing regime, DVT prophylaxis, physio referral and the X-ray schedule for union assessment.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Cover for private fracture fixation is standard once medically indicated. NHS trauma is universal - we help when you want a specific surgeon, a specific hospital, or a second opinion.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about minimally invasive fracture surgery.

Quick answers on suitability, weight-bearing, recovery time, complications and whether the hardware needs to come out.

  • What is minimally invasive fracture fixation?

    A group of techniques - MIPO (plate osteosynthesis through small incisions), intramedullary nailing, percutaneous cannulated screws and external fixation - that stabilise a broken bone without the long open incision of traditional ORIF. The goal is to preserve the soft-tissue envelope and the periosteal blood supply that heal bone.

  • Is it better than open surgery?

    For the right fracture, yes - smaller scars, lower infection risk (particularly high-energy tibia), less periosteal stripping and often faster union. For comminuted intra-articular fractures where the joint surface must be reconstructed under direct vision, open surgery is still the right answer.

  • Which fractures can be fixed this way?

    Tibial and femoral shafts (IM nailing), distal tibia and distal femur (MIPO), distal radius (volar MIPO), clavicle, proximal humerus (PHILOS), scaphoid (percutaneous screw), femoral neck (cannulated screws in the young), peritrochanteric hip (IM nail), ankle malleoli (percutaneous screws) and pelvic ring or sacroiliac injuries.

  • How much does private fracture fixation cost in the UK?

    Roughly £8,000–£13,000 for a percutaneous scaphoid or ankle screw, £9,000–£14,000 for a distal radius MIPO or clavicle, £12,000–£18,000 for a tibial IM nail and £14,000–£22,000 for a femoral IM nail or distal femur MIPO.

  • How long is the recovery?

    Fracture-specific. Scaphoid and wrist patients are often back to office work in one to two weeks; tibial nailing typically two to eight weeks depending on the job; femoral fractures four to twelve weeks. Return to sport is six to twelve months for most lower-limb fractures.

  • When can I bear weight?

    It depends on the fracture and the fixation. Reamed IM nails for tibial and femoral shaft fractures often allow immediate weight-bearing as tolerated. MIPO around the ankle or knee usually means six to twelve weeks of protected weight-bearing. The surgeon writes it in the operation note.

  • Will the plate or nail need to come out?

    Not routinely. Modern low-profile implants are designed to stay. Removal is offered in 10–20% of cases where hardware is symptomatic - most commonly around the ankle, clavicle and wrist where the skin is thin. It is a smaller second procedure at 12 months.

  • What are the main complications?

    Non-union 5–15% depending on fracture and technique, infection 2–5% (higher for open fractures), hardware pain 10–20%, DVT/PE, nerve injury (radial with humerus, peroneal with tibia), malrotation (particularly IM nailing), and compartment syndrome - the surgical emergency to know about.

  • When should I see a GP or A&E urgently?

    Any suspected fracture with deformity, bone through skin, loss of pulses or sensation, or an increasingly painful, tight limb after an injury is an A&E case. After surgery, fever, spreading redness, heavy wound discharge, sudden calf pain or breathlessness all need same-day medical attention.

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