• Lauri M Halonen, Henri Vasara, Antti Stenroos, and Jussi Kosola.
• Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, PO Box 266, HUS FI-00026, Finland. Electronic address: lauri.halonen@hus.fi.
• Injury. 2020 Jun 1; 51 (6): 1343-1345.

Background And PurposeApproximately 2000 trochanteric fractures are operated in Finland annually. These fractures make a major burden to health care system and affected individuals. The role of routine follow-up has been questioned in multiple fracture types.Patients And MethodsWe analyzed routine follow-up visits after intramedullary fixation of trochanteric fractures (n = 995). Patients were followed up from patient registries until 2 years or death. Planned and unplanned follow-up visits were analyzed.ResultsAltogether 9 patients (0.9%) had a change in treatment at planned outpatient visit. 6 of these were due to mechanical complication, 1 due to refracture and 2 due to delayed unions. 64 (6.4%) patients had a change in treatment plan because of an unplanned visit: 28 infections, 6 pressure sores, 15 mechanic complications and 14 refractures and 1 AVN, respectively.InterpretationRoutine follow-up visits are a burden both to the patients and health care system, with less than 1% leading to changes in treatment. Our suggestion is to give good instructions to patients and rehabilitation facilities instead of routine follow-up.Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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