The Surgical Treatment of Trochanteric Fracture

Hur, Won Young; Yoo, Hong Jae; Kang, Jae Do

Abstract

The incidence of trochanteric fracture of the femur is increasing, which is likely to continue for many years because of an increase in traffic accidents and the population of elderly people. The primary goal in the treatment of an elderly patient with an intertrochanteric hip fracture is to return the patient to his prefracture activity without any complication, as soon as possible. Rapid mobilization with stable internal fixation helps to prevent skin ulceration, pneumonia, urinary stasis, thromboembolic disease and other complications of confinement to bed in the elderly. Stable internal fixation depends mainly upon the fracture type and operative techniques. A clinical study of operative techniques was done in twenty three patients with trochanteric fracture of the femur who had been admitted and treated surgically at the Orthopaedic Department of W.M.B.H. during of two years from Mar. 1982 to Feb. 1984. The following are brief descriptions of the operative techniques. l. An L-shape incision and refiection of the vastus lateralis muscle provided wide exposure and facilitated anatomical reduction under direct vision. 2. The nail insertion site was selected at a slightly eccentric position anterior to rather than exactly midway from the opposite lateral cortex of the lesser trochanter. Therefore the nail could be laid rigidly between the thick anteromedial cortex and the posteromedial calcar portion. 3. The best stable position among the fracture line, the neck shaft angle and the nail plate could be obtained by the yoking procedure. It also allowed for later proximal migration of the shaft fragment and fracture impaction without impingement on the base of the barrel.