• David Martí-Garín, Ferran Fillat-Gomà, Francesc Antoni Marcano-Fernández, Mariano Balaguer-Castro, Juan Murias Álvarez, Raul Pellejero, Joël Sánchez Fernández, Pere Torner, and Josep Maria Muñoz Vives.
• Consorci Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Sabadell, Catalunya, ES; Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Tauli, Sabadell, Catalunya, ES; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, ES.
• Injury. 2023 Feb 1; 54 (2): 661668661-668.

AimsTo compare in a prospective randomized trial the mechanical complications in patients with unstable extracapsular proximal femur fractures without subtrochanteric extension (AO/OTA 31-A2 and 31-A3) METHODS: We prospectively studied 182 patients with unstable extracapsular proximal femur fractures without fractures lines extending more than 3 cm below the lesser trochanter, randomized to receive either a 'standard' (240 mm) nail or a long nail and followed them up for 1 year.ResultsWe found no difference in the incidence of mechanical or general complications between the two groups, no cut-outs, no fractures of the tip the implant, 1 cut-through and 2 malrotations in the LN group, 2 non-unions that were reoperated, one on each group. The commonest complication was blade lateral migration, 13 (14%) patients in SN and 6 (9%) in the LN. The operating time was shorter in the SN group 51 minutes compared to 67 minutes in the LN group (p=0.000075). The mortality at 1,3 and 12 months in the SN group was of 2%, 6%, 12% while in the LN group was 12%, 18% and 22%. These differences where significative at 1 (p=0.007) and 3 months (p=0.013), but not at 12 months (p=0.075).ConclusionsWe recommend the use of standard nails (240 mm) for this group of fractures, since it does not produce more mechanical complications, and it is faster, cheaper and easier to interlock distally.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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