Treatment of Senile Osteoporotic Intertrochanteric Fracture using Proximal Femoral Nail

PURPOSE: Clinical and radiologic results of femur intertrochanteric fractures treated with ITST nail in elderly patients with osteoporosis were analysized to evaluate the efficacy and complication of ITST nailing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 32 patients who were treated with ITST nail due to femur intertrochanteric fracture and were followed up for more than 1 year were analysed. According to Evans classification, 11 cases were stable fractures and 21 cases were unstable fractures. Clinically, ambulatory function was compared and radiologically, BMD of healthy leg was checked with analysis of postoperative bone union and complication. RESULTS: In ambulatory function comparison before and after the operation, there were 9 cases of good, 17 cases of moderate and 6 cases of poor. Considering social activity after the operation, 7 cases showed normal ambulation, 9 cases showed ambulatory with one cane, 5 cases showed two cane ambulation and 11 cases showed dependent ambulation. In radiologic evaluation, T-score of ward triangle in healthy femoral neck showed BMD of -3.12. In 20 cases, bone union was observed within 3 months. The patients with low BMD result had poor outcome. There were 2 cases of intraoperative proximal femur fracture, 3 cases of nonunion and 4 cases of death within 1 year. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture, ITST nailing is relatively efficient treatment. However, in pateint with severe osteoporosis (T-score<-3.0) and unstable fracture pattern, arthroplasty should be considered due to relatively high complicaton rate.

Treatment of Femoral Head Fracture with Traumatic Posterior Dislocation of the Hip

PUEPOSE: To evaluate the treatment results and complication of a femoral head fracture with posterior dislocation of the hip according to the Pipkin classification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten cases of Thompson-Epstein type V femoral head fracture with a posterior dislocation of the hip were evaluated. According to the Pipkin classification, 5 cases were type I, 1 case was type III, and 4 cases were type IV. The average age at time of trauma was 38 (19~72) years, and the causes were traffic accidents in 9 cases and falls in 1 case. The average follow-up period was 33 (13~79) months. A reduction of the fracture was performed within 6 hours in 9 cases and 12 hours in 1 case. When the stability was achieved after the reduction, the choice of further treatment was made from either conservative treatment while maintaining skeletal traction, or surgical treatment according to the fracture type and instability. The complications were evaluated by a physical examination, simple radiography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RESULTS: In Pipkin type I fractures, 4 cases were treated with conservative treatment and 1 case was treated with surgical treatment. One case of Pipkin type III fracture was treated with primary total hip arthroplasty. In Pipkin type IV fractures, 2 cases were treated surgically using a plate and 2 cases were treated with conservative treatment with skeletal traction. Bone union was achieved in all cases. One case of mild posttraumatic arthritis and 1 case of avascular necrosis was found, respectively in Pipkin type IV. CONCLUSION: The extent of the initial injury has an effect on the prognosis of a hip fracture and dislocation.