Treatment of subtrochanteric fractures of the femur in elderly patients with gamma locking nail

ABSTRACT

A prospective study included 23 elderly patients with Subtrochanteric fractures. Long Gamma locking nail was used for fixation of fractures. Closed technique was used in all patients except 3 patients in whom open reduction was done to overcome difficulty in closed reduction. All the patients were followed up for at least 1 year. The average time to union was 14 weeks. Only one case had a delayed union. Varus malunion occurred in one patient. Limb length shortening of 1.5 cm occurred in one patient. External rotation malunion of approximately 15° was noted in 2 patients. Functional outcome using Harris hip score was 90 [range 79-99]. From this study, use of long Gamma nail for fixation of Subtrochanteric fractures is a safe method for elderly patients provided that the surgeon is aware of technique and complications which may occur during nail insertion