However, you may need surgery to implant internal fixation devices, such as plates, rods or screws, to maintain proper position of your bones during healing.

CNN: Broken leg

In a full meltdown, such as the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union, the rods melt completely and the release of energy causes an explosion that contaminates the surrounding area with radioactive material.

WSJ: Uranium Firms Take Hit After Earthquake