• Rafael Serrano, James A Blair, David T Watson, Anthony F Infante, Anjan R Shah, Hassan R Mir, Benjamin J Maxson, Katheryne W Downes, and Roy W Sanders.
• *Department of Orthopaedics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL; †Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, TX; ‡Orthopaedic Trauma Service, Florida Orthopaedic Institute, Tampa, FL; and §Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
• J Orthop Trauma. 2017 Nov 1; 31 (11): 577-582.

ObjectivesTo analyze radiographic changes in intertrochanteric (IT) fracture alignment after treatment with either a single sliding lag screw or an integrated compressed and locked, dual screw, cephalomedullary nail construct.DesignRetrospective comparative study.SettingLevel 1 regional trauma center.Patients1004 OTA/AO 31A, 31B2.1 fractures treated with either a single screw cephalomedullary nail (Gamma 3) or an integrated dual screw cephalomedullary nail (InterTAN) between February 1, 2005, and June 30, 2013. Four hundred thirteen remained after exclusion criteria; 130 were treated with a single screw device (79 stable and 51 unstable), and 283 with an integrated dual screw device (155 stable and 128 unstable).InterventionCephalomedullary nail insertion.Outcome MeasuresRadiographic analysis included fracture pattern, fracture reduction, neck-shaft angle (NSA), and femoral neck shortening (FNS) differences at 3, 6, and 12 months. Measurements were normalized using known lag screw dimensions, digitally corrected for magnification. Rotation between x-rays was controlled using a ratio of known to measured dimensions. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis.ResultsThe single screw device resulted in 2.5 times more varus collapse (NSA) and 2 times more FNS over 1 year, as compared to the locked, integrated dual screw device, regardless of stability (P < 0.001). NSA and FNS changes were greater for both devices in unstable fracture patterns, but significantly less movement occurred with the dual screw device (P < 0.001).ConclusionsA cephalomedullary nail with 2 integrated proximal screws that can be compressed and then locked seems to maintain initial IT fracture reduction and subsequent position over time, with less varus collapse and less shortening than a single screw device.Level Of EvidenceTherapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

33 keywords...

hide…