ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the clinical effects of two methods of internal fixation in treating unstable femoral intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From August 2009 to August 2014, 68 elderly patients with unstable femoral intertrochanteric fracture treated with locking proximal femur plate and auxiliary short reconstructed plate (reconstructing calcar group) and proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA group) with clinical course from 1 to 3 days were retrospectively analyzed. In reconstructing calcar group, there were 30 patients including 8 males and 22 females, aged from 63 to 85 years old with an average of (73.41±5.12) years old, the fractures were classified to type AO 31-A2.2 in 12 cases, A2.3 in 11 cases, A3.3 in 7 cases according to AO/ASIF classification. In PFNA group, there were 38 patients including 10 males and 28 females, aged from 65 to 90 years old with an average of (74.26±4.53) years old, the fractures were classified to type AO 31-A2.2 in 15 cases, A2.3 in 13 cases, A3.3 in 10 cases. All fracture were caused by injury, leading pain and swelling. Femoral intertrochanteric fracture was confirmed by X ray films. The data of each group were collected for statistical analysis on the following aspects: the incision length, operation time, blood loss volume, postoperative partial weight bearing standing time, clinical healing time of fracture, postoperative complications, and hip functional score of Harris.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All incisions were healed at stage I. In the aspect of postoperative complications, there were 1 case of screw blade cutting and 1 case of deep venous thrombosis in PFNA group; there was 1 case of deep venous thrombosis in the reconstructing calcar group (²=0.000,=1.000). Patients were followed up from 20 to 24 months with an average of 22.5 months. There were no significant in postoperative partial weight bearing standing time, postoperative complications, hip functional score of Harris between two group. There were significant in the incision length, operation time, blood loss volume, clinical healing time of fracture. In the incision length, operation time, blood loss volume, clinical healing time of fracture, the PFNA group was significantly differently less than that of the reconstructing calcar group (<0.001). In the clinical healing time of fracture, the PFNA group was significantly differently less than that of the reconstructing calcar group (<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>For the treatment of unstable femoral intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients, reconstructing calcar and PFNA are both effective, and proximal femoral intramedullary nails may be the best choice, which can be simpler operation, smaller incision and less healing time.</p>
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To retrospectively study postoperative Garden III femoral neck fractures in the elderly so as to explore the different degree of displacement of Garden III femoral neck fracture, and discuss the basis and clinical significance of the subtype classification.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 492 patients with complete clinical data out of the 1397 patients with femoral neck fractures treated by closed reduction and internal fixation with cannulated compression screws from September 2005 to September 2010 were included in the study. Each patient's frontal Garden Index was measured. On the basis of the frontal Garden Index, these cases were divided into three types:type A, which frontal Garden Index was more than or equal to 140°, included 53 males and 84 females with an average age of(65.3±7.2) years old ranging from 60 to 75 years old; type B, more than 120°and less than 140°, included 79 males and 172 females with an average age of (67.5±3.6) years old;and type C, less than or equal to 120°, included 38 males and 66 with an average age of(68.6±5.7) years old. Aspects were followed up including complications, consequences and hip joint function. The fracture healing and femoral head necrosis were compared among three types.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Operative incision of 492 cases was primary healing, and no infection and other complications occurred. All patients were followed up from 2 to 10 years with an average of 6.3 years, the healing of femoral neck fracture occurred in 432 cases, and the total union rate was 87.8%. Femoral head necrosis occurred in 83 cases, and the total necrosis rate of femoral head was 16.9%. The nonunion rate of type A was 6.6%, type B was 13.5%, and type C was 16.3%, there were significant differences among three types(²2AB=4.377,=0.036;²2AC=5.872,=0.015;²2BC=0.469, PBC=0.494). The necrosis rate of femoral head of group A was 8.8%, group B was 16.7%, and group C was 27.9%, there were significant differences among three groups(²2AB=4.704,=0.030;²2AC=15.317,=0.000;²2BC=5.715,=0.017).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It is different for the degree of displacement of Garden III femoral neck fracture in the elderly. Based on frontal Garden Index to differentiate degree of fracture displacement, Garden III femoral neck fracture would be divided into A, B and C subtypes. The prognosis of Garden III femoral neck fracture in the elderly is negatively related to its degree of displacement, which has clinical significance to make treatment plan for Garden III femoral neck fracture in the elderly.</p>