Treatment of Senile Osteoporotic Intertrochanteric Fracture using Proximal Femoral Nail

ABSTRACT

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.