Objective To investigate the treatment method of senile patients with femoral intertrochanteric fractures and its cl inical outcomes. Methods From January 2005 to December 2007, 192 senile patients with femoral intertrochanteric fractures were treated, including 85 males and 107 females aged 65-92 years old (average 75 years old). The injury was causedby fall on walking in 106 cases, fall when riding a bicycle in 55 cases, and traffic accidents in 31 cases. According to Evans classification, there were 12 cases of type I A, 43 cases of type I B, 29 cases of type II, 24 cases of type III A, 23 cases of type III B, 26 cases of type IV, and 35 cases of type V. One hundred and fifty patients were associated with cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, 120 patients were compl icated with chronicle hypertension, 90 cases were associated with bronchitis, and 75 cases were compl icated with diabetes. The time from injury to hospital admission was 1 hour to 14 days. Among those patients, 108 were treated with conservative treatment, 68 received dynamic hip screw (DHS) fixation, and 16 underwent proximal femoral Gamma nail fixation. Results All the patients were followed up for 12-36 months (average 18 months). The fracture all reached bone union without occurrence of nonunion and delayed union. Patients could take care of themselves, and there were no occurrences of serious pains and dysfunctions. The therapeutic effect was satisfactory. The conservative treatment group: the average hospital stay length was 48 days; the average bone heal ing time was 14 weeks; 23 cases had different degrees of coxa adducta; Harris score system was adopted to evaluate hip joint function, 45 cases were graded as excellent, 31 as good, 10 as fair, and 22 as poor, and the excellent and good rate was 70.4%. DHS internal fixation group: the average operation time was 60 minutes; the average bleeding volume during operation was 200 mL, the average hospital stay length was 24 days; the average bone heal ing time after operation was 12 weeks; Harris score system was adopted to evaluate the injured hip joint function, 38 cases were graded as excellent, 21 as good, 8 as fair, and 1 as poor, and the excellent and good rate was 86.8%. Gamma nailfixation group: the average operation time was 70 minutes; the average bleeding volume during operation was 200 mL, the average hospital stay length was 14 days; the average bone heal ing time after operation was 12 weeks; Harris score system was adopted to evaluate the injured hip joint function, 11 cases were graded as excellent, 4 as good, 1 as fair, and the excellent and good rate was 93.8%. Conclusion For geriatric femoral intertrochanteric fractures, operative treatment should be performed, the preoperative preparation should be sufficient, and individual-oriented treatment method should be selected on the basis of physical conditions of patients and the types of fractures.
ObjectiveTo formulate the classification criteria of femoral intertrochanteric fractures based on irreducibility or not in order to predict the difficulty of fracture recovery.MethodsA clinical data of 244 patients with closed femoral intertrochanteric fractures admitted between January 2017 and March 2020 was retrospectively analyzed. There were 116 males and 128 females with an average age of 77.9 years (range, 45-100 years). The cause of injury included falling in 190 cases, traffic accident in 36 cases, smashing in 13 cases, and falling from height in 5 cases. The time from injury to operation was 1-14 days (mean, 3.6 days). According toAO/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO/OTA) classification, the fractures were classified as type 31-A1 in 38 cases, type 31-A2 in 160 cases, and type 31-A3 in 46 cases. According to whether the recovery difficulty occurred after intraoperative closed traction reset, the patients were divided into reducible-group and irreducible-group; combined with the literature and preoperative imaging data of two groups, the classification criteria of femoral intertrochanteric fractures was formulated based on the irreducibility or not. The 244 fractures were classified by the doctors who did not attend the operation according to the classification criteria, predicted the difficulty of fracture reduction, and compared with the actual intraoperative reduction situation.ResultsThe 244 patients were divided into reducible-group (n=164, 67.21%) and irreducible-group (n=80, 32.79%) according to the intraoperative difficulty of reduction. Comparing the imaging data and characteristics of the two groups, and formulating the classification criteria of femoral intertrochanteric fractures based on irreducibility or not, the fractures were mainly divided into two categories of irreducibility and reducibility. The fractures of irreducibility category was divided into typesⅠ-Ⅴ, among which type Ⅲ was divided into subtypes 1-4; the fractures of reducibility category was divided into typesⅠand Ⅱ. Compared with the actual intraoperative evaluation results, the total accuracy rate of the doctors who did not attend the operation was 81.15% (198/244) based on the classification criteria of femoral intertrochanteric fractures. The accuracy rate of irreducibility category was 65.74% (71/108), and the reducibility category was 93.38% (127/136). All patients were followed up 13-25 months, with an average of 17.6 months. All fractures healed except 2 cases died of infection.ConclusionThe classification criteria of femoral intertrochanteric fractures based on irreducibility or not can accurately predict the reducible cases preoperatively, and most of the irreducible cases can be correctly predicted in a wider way. But the classification criteria still need to be further improved and supplemented.
ObjectiveTo design a new type of short femoral intertrochanteric nail (FITN) with anterior curvature (19.5 cm in length and 120 cm in radius) and observe the geometric match with medullary cavity of the femur. MethodsBetween November 2015 and June 2016, 25 geriatric patients with femoral intertrochanteric fractures were treated with the newly designed FITN. There were 7 males and 18 females with an average age of 82.3 years (range, 65-94 years). According to AO/OTA fracture classification, 3 cases were rated as A1.2, 2 cases as A1.3, 5 cases as A2.1, 8 cases as A2.2, and 7 cases as A2.3. The interval between injury and operation was 3.2 days (range, 2-7 days). Postoperatively, the nail entry point position (anterior, central, and posterior) on sagittal plane, the nail tip position (6-grade scale) and the nail tail level (3-grade scale) were measured using fluoroscopy and X-ray films to evaluate the geometric match of the nail with medullary cavity of the femur. ResultsOne patient with Parkinson disease died of asphyxia and pulmonary infection. The other 24 patients were followed up 1-8 months (mean, 4 months). Fracture union time was 6-10 weeks (mean, 8 weeks). The mean Parker-Palmer mobility score was 5.5 (range, 4-8). No patient had hip-thigh pain. The nail entry point was positioned anterior in 2 cases (8%), central in 18 cases (72%), and posterior in 5 cases (20%). The distal nail tip located at the central canal axis (grade 0) in 15 cases (60%), at anterior without contact with the anterior inner cortex (grade 1) in 8 cases (32%), at posterior (grade -1) in 1 case (4%), and at anterior with slight nail-tip impingement with the anterior cortex (grade 2) in 1 case (4%). The proximal nail tail level did not protrude out beyond the greater trochanter (grade 0) in 13 cases (52%), protruded out less than 5 mm (grade 1) in 9 cases (36%), and more than 5 mm (grade 2) in 3 cases (12%). ConclusionThe newly designed FITN has a good geometric match with the femur medullary canal in Chinese population, which may reduce the nail related complications.
ObjectiveTo compare the effectiveness of long and short proximal femoral nail anti-rotation (PFNA) in the treatment of type A2.3 intertrochanteric fracture of femur (IFF). Methods The clinical data of 54 patients with type A2.3 IFF admitted between January 2020 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the length of PFNA nail used in the operation, they were divided into long nail group (PFNA nail length>240 mm, 24 cases) and short nail group (PFNA nail length≤240 mm, 30 cases). There was no significant difference in baseline data such as gender, age, fracture side, body mass index, and time from fracture to operation between the two groups (P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency, intraoperative reduction quality score, fracture healing, and complications of the two groups were recorded and compared. Harris score was used to evaluate the hip function of patients at 1 year after operation. According to the relationship between the fracture line of type A2.3 IFF and the lesser trochanter, the two groups of patients were divided into type Ⅰ(the fracture line extends to the level of the lesser trochanter), type Ⅱ(the fracture line extends to less than 2 cm below the lesser trochanter), and type Ⅲ (the fracture line extends to more than 2 cm below the lesser trochanter), and the postoperative stability and internal fixator loosening of each subtype were evaluated. Results The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency in short nail group were significantly less than those in long nail group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the intraoperative reduction quality score between the two groups (P>0.05). Patients in both groups were followed up 12-18 months, with an average of 13.5 months. The postoperative stability score of short nail group was significantly lower than that of long nail group (P<0.05). The Harris score in the long nail group was significantly higher than that in the short nail group at 1 year after operation (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in Harris score grading between the two groups (P>0.05). Complications occurred in 3 cases of the long nail group (including 1 case of coxa varus caused by external nail entry point and 2 cases of loose internal fixator), and 7 cases of the short nail group (including 1 case of coxa varus caused by external nail entry point and 6 cases of loose internal fixator). Neither group had any anterior femoral arch damage, there was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups (P>0.05). The number of type Ⅲ patients was relatively small and not included in the statistics; there was no significant difference in the postoperative stability score and the incidence of internal fixator loosening between the long and short nail groups in type Ⅰ patients (P>0.05). In type Ⅱ patients, the postoperative stability score and the incidence of internal fixation loosening in the long nail group were significantly better than those in the short nail group (P<0.05).Conclusion Long PFNA fixation for type A2.3 IFF has longer operation time and more intraoperative blood loss, but the overall stability of fracture is better after operation. For type A2.3 IFF with fracture line extending to less than 2 cm below the lesser trochanter, long PFNA is used for fixation, although the surgical trauma is large, but the postoperative stability is better than that of short PFNA; for type A2.3 IFF with fracture line extending to the lesser trochanter, there is no significant difference in postoperative stability between long and short PFNAs.
Objective To introduce a novel comprehensive classification for femoral intertrochanteric fractures, and to accommodate the clinical requirement for the world-wide outbreak of geriatric hip fractures and surgical operations. Methods On the basis of reviewing the history of classification of femoral intertrochanteric fractures and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of AO/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO/OTA) classification in different periods, combined with the current situation of extensive preoperative CT scan and three-dimensional reconstruction and widespread use of intramedullary nail fixation in China, the “Elderly Hip Fracture” Research Group of the Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery Committee of the Chinese Rehabilitation Medical Association proposed a novel comprehensive classification for femoral intertrochanteric fractures, focusing on the structure of fracture stability reconstruction during internal fixation. Results The novel comprehensive classification of femoral intertrochanteric fractures incorporates multiple indicators of fracture classification, including the orientation of the fracture line, the degree of fracture fragmentation, the lesser trochanteric bone fragment and its distal extension length (>2 cm), the posterior coronal bone fragment and its anterior extension width (involving the lateral cortex of the head and neck implant entry point), transverse fracture of the lateral and anterior wall and its relationship with the implant entry point in the head and neck, and whether the cortex of the anteromedial inferior corner can be directly reduced to contact, etc. The femoral intertrochanteric fractures are divided into 4 types (type A1 is simple two-part fractures, type A2 is characterized by lesser trochanter fragment and posterior coronal fractures, type A3 is reverse obliquity and transverse fractures, type A4 is medial comminution which lacks anteromedial cortex transmission of compression force), each of which is subdivided into 4 subtypes and further subdivide into finer subgroups. In a review of 550 trochanteric hip fracture cases by three-dimensional CT, type A1 accounted for 20.0%, type A2 for 62.5%, type A3 for 15.5%, and type A4 for 2.0%, respectively. For subtypes, A2.2 is with a “banana-like” posterior coronal fragment, A2.4 is with distal cortex extension >2 cm of the lesser trochanter and anterior cortical expansion of the posterior coronal fragment to the entry portal of head-neck implants, A3.4 is a primary pantrochanteric fracture, and A4.4 is a concomitant ipsilateral segmental fracture of the neck and trochanter region. ConclusionThe novel comprehensive classification of femoral intertrochanteric fractures can describe the morphological characteristics of fractures in more detail, include more rare and complex types, provide more personalized subtype selection, and adapt to the clinical needs of both fractures and surgeries.
ObjectiveTo investigate the method to measure the tip-apex distance (TAD) in treatment of femoral intertrochanteric fracture with proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA). MethodsBetween March 2008 and March 2011, 35 patients with femoral intertrochanteric fracture underwent closed reduction and internal fixation with PFNA, which were all closed fractures. There were 14 males and 21 females with an average age of 72.3 years (range, 48-88 years). According to Evans classification, 1 case belonged to type III, 27 cases to type IV, and 7 cases to type V. The time between injury and operation was 2-7 days (mean, 4.3 days). The TAD was measured according to relationship between tip of helical blade and the center point of femoral head radius during operation, and according to X-ray films after operation. ResultsPrimary healing of incision was obtained in all cases, and no infection or deep venous thrombosis occurred. At 2 days after operation, the X-ray films showed TAD was 18-24 mm (mean, 22.6 mm). Thirty-two cases were followed up 10-22 months (mean, 16 months). All fractures healed, with a mean healing time of 7.6 months (range, 6-10 months). The patients could walk without stick at 11-16 weeks (mean, 13 weeks). Pulmonary infection occurred in 1 case at 5 days after operation; no breakage of femoral nail or cut-out helical blade from femoral head was observed. At 10 months after operation, the Parker hip scores were 9 in 23 cases, 8 in 4 cases, 7 in 3 cases, and 5 in 2 cases, with a mean score of 8.44. ConclusionIt is easy to control the TAD in treatment of femoral intertrochanteric fracture with PFNA with an simple method and important to prevent breakage and cut-out helical blade from the femoral head.
ObjectiveTo investigate the association between the tip apex distance (TAD) and migration of helical blade in the femoral head of geriatric intertrochanteric fractures.MethodsA retrospective study of intertrochanteric fractures treated with the proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) between June 2015 and June 2018 was performed. There were 32 males and 55 females with an average age of 84.7 years (range, 80-101 years). All of them were unilateral fresh closed intertrochanteric fractures caused by low energy injury. According to AO/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO/OTA) classification, 33 cases belonged to type 31-A1, 35 cases to type 31-A2, and 19 cases to type 31-A3. The time interval from injury to operation was 1-16 days (mean, 3.7 days). The TAD was measured according to immediate postoperative X-ray films. The cases were divided into two groups: group A with TAD less than 20 mm and group B with TAD greater than 20 mm. The difference of fracture healing and migration of helical blade between the two groups were observed.ResultsAccording to the TAD value immediately after operation, 49 patients in group A had TAD of 8.9-19.7 mm, with an average of 18.6 mm; 38 patients in group B had TAD of 20.1-41.4 mm, with an average of 27.7 mm. The 87 patients were followed up for an average of 11.7 months, ranging from 4 to 28 months. Three cases (all in group B) underwent screw blade cutting and displacement, which resulted in internal fixation failure, including 1 case with femoral head cut upward and 2 cases with femoral head penetrated inward. The remaining 84 cases had bone healing without internal fixation related complications such as fracture of internal fixator and fracture of femoral shaft. There was significant difference in the incidence of internal fixation failure between group A and group B (P=0.049). ConclusionReducing the TAD value of helical blade appropriately (15-20 mm) in PFNA internal fixation for intertrochanteric fracture patients over 80 years old can increase initial stability without increasing the risk of helical blade migration.
ObjectiveTo compare the clinical effect of proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) and locking proximal femoral plate (LPFP) for femoral intertrochanteric fracture in elderly patients. MethodsWe respectively analyzed the clinical data of 116 senile patients with femoral intertrochanteric fracture treated between October 2008 and March 2014. Among them, 60 were treated with PFNA, and 56 were treated with LPFP. We compared the two groups of patients in terms of operating time, surgical blood loss, surgical complications, walking exercise time, fracture healing time and joint function recovery. ResultsA total of 115 patients had regular follow-up from 12 to 24 months (averaging 15.7 months). One patient died. The operating time was (83.26±14.81) minutes in PFNA group and (102.58±15.31) minutes in LPFP group. The surgical blood loss was (202.16±33.14) mL in PFNA group and (255.80±45.92) mL in LPFP group. The walking exercise time was (1.80±0.91) weeks in PFNA group and (3.48±3.03) weeks in LPFP group. The fracture healing time was (11.80±2.26) weeks in PFNA group and (12.14±2.21) weeks in LPFP group. The postoperative Harris score for hip joint was 84.56±9.55 in PFNA group and 82.47±9.22 in LPFP group. There were statistical differences in operating time, surgical blood loss and walking exercise time (P<0.05), while no statistical differences were found in fracture healing time and postoperative Harris score for hip joint (P>0.05). ConclusionPFNA and LPFP are effective methods for femoral intertrochanteric fracture in elderly people, but PFNA has a shorter operating time, less surgical blood loss and earlier walking exercise time.
ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness of minimally invasive clamp reduction technique via anterior approach in treatment of irreducible intertrochanteric femoral fractures.MethodsBetween January 2015 and January 2019, 59 patients with irreducible intertrochanteric femoral fractures were treated with minimally invasive clamp reduction technique via anterior approach. There were 29 males and 30 females with an average age of 77.9 years (range, 45-100 years). The causes of injury included falling in 46 cases, traffic accident in 6 cases, smashing in 2 cases, and falling from height in 5 cases. The time from injury to operation was 1-14 days (mean, 3.8 days). The fractures were classified as AO type 31-A1 in 12 cases, type 31-A2 in 25 cases, type 31-A3 in 22 cases.ResultsAll fractures were reduced well and the fracture reduction took 10 to 30 minutes, with an average of 19 minutes. All patients were followed up 13-25 months, with an average of 17.6 months. Among them, 2 cases of pronation displacement of proximal fracture segment died for infection or falling pneumonia after internal fixation failed. Six patients with reversed intertrochanteric femoral fractures experienced re-pronation and abduction displacement of the lateral wall after internal fixation, but the fractures all healed. The rest of the patients had no fracture reduction loss, and the fractures healed with an average healing time of 5.9 months (range, 3-9 months). Except for 2 patients who died, the Harris score of hip joint function of the remaining 57 patients was excellent in 49 cases and good in 8 cases at last follow-up.ConclusionThe minimally invasive clamp reduction technique via anterior approach for irreducible intertrochanteric femoral fractures is simple and effective. For irreducible intertrochanteric femoral fractures related to lateral wall displacement, after clamp reduction and intramedullary nail fixation, the lateral wall should be reinforced in order to avoid reduction loss and internal fixation failure.
ObjectiveTo summarize the research progress of osteonecrosis of femoral head (ONFH) following femoral intertrochanteric fractures in adults.MethodsRelevant literature at home and abroad was extensively reviewed to summarize the pathogenesis, high-risk factors, and treatment of ONFH after femoral intertrochanteric fracture in adults.ResultsONFH after femoral intertrochanteric fracture mostly occurs within 2 years after operation, with a lower incidence. At present, it is believed that comminuted and large displacement fractures caused by high-energy injuries, fracture line close to the base of neck, excessive external rotation deformity, improper intramedullary nail entry points, and rough intraoperative manipulating may injury the deep branch of the medial circumflex femoral artery, causing ONFH. Hip replacement is the main treatment for necrosis, which can achieve good results.ConclusionAddressing the above risks, excessive external rotation, overstretching, and rough manipulating should be avoided. Anatomical reduction should be performed during the operation, the nail entry point should be accurate and avoid repeated drilling and thermally bone necrosis.