• Güvenir Okcu, Nadir Ozkayin, Cemil Okta, Ismet Topcu, and Kemal Aktuglu.
• Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical Faculty, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, 45250, Turkey. ggokcu@hotmail.com
• Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res. 2013 Sep 1;471(9):2768-75.

BackgroundReverse obliquity fractures of the proximal femur have biomechanical characteristics distinct from other intertrochanteric fractures and high implant failure rate when treated with sliding hip screws. Intramedullary hip nailing for these fractures reportedly has less potential for cut-out of the lag screw because of their loadbearing capacity when compared with extramedullary implants. However, it is unclear whether nail length influences healing.Questions/PurposesWe compared standard and long types of intramedullary hip nails in terms of (1) reoperation (fixation failure), (2) 1-year mortality rate, (3) function and mobility, and (4) union rate.MethodsWe conducted a pilot prospective randomized controlled trial comparing standard versus long (≥ 34 cm) intramedullary hip nails for reverse obliquity fractures of the proximal femur from January 2009 to December 2009. There were 15 patients with standard nails and 18 with long nails. Mean age was 79 years (range, 67-95 years). We determined 1-year mortality rates, reoperation rates, Parker-Palmer mobility and Harris hip scores, and radiographic findings (fracture union, blade cut-out, tip-apex distance, implant failure). Minimum followup was 12 months (mean, 14 months; range, 12-20 months).ResultsWe found no difference in reoperation rates between groups. Two patients (both from the long-nail group) underwent revision surgery because of implant failure in one and deep infection in the other. There was no difference between the standard- and long-nail groups in mortality rate (17% versus 18%), Parker-Palmer mobility score (five versus six), Harris hip score (74 versus 79), union rate (100% in both groups), blade cut-out (zero versus one), and tip-apex distance (22 versus 24 mm).ConclusionsOur preliminary data suggest reverse obliquity fractures of the trochanteric region of the femur can be treated with either standard or long intramedullary nails.

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