OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effects of two methods of internal fixation in treating unstable femoral intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients.

METHODSFrom August 2009 to August 2014, 68 elderly patients with unstable femoral intertrochanteric fracture treated with locking proximal femur plate and auxiliary short reconstructed plate (reconstructing calcar group) and proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA group) with clinical course from 1 to 3 days were retrospectively analyzed. In reconstructing calcar group, there were 30 patients including 8 males and 22 females, aged from 63 to 85 years old with an average of (73.41±5.12) years old, the fractures were classified to type AO 31-A2.2 in 12 cases, A2.3 in 11 cases, A3.3 in 7 cases according to AO/ASIF classification. In PFNA group, there were 38 patients including 10 males and 28 females, aged from 65 to 90 years old with an average of (74.26±4.53) years old, the fractures were classified to type AO 31-A2.2 in 15 cases, A2.3 in 13 cases, A3.3 in 10 cases. All fracture were caused by injury, leading pain and swelling. Femoral intertrochanteric fracture was confirmed by X ray films. The data of each group were collected for statistical analysis on the following aspects: the incision length, operation time, blood loss volume, postoperative partial weight bearing standing time, clinical healing time of fracture, postoperative complications, and hip functional score of Harris.

RESULTSAll incisions were healed at stage I. In the aspect of postoperative complications, there were 1 case of screw blade cutting and 1 case of deep venous thrombosis in PFNA group; there was 1 case of deep venous thrombosis in the reconstructing calcar group (²=0.000,=1.000). Patients were followed up from 20 to 24 months with an average of 22.5 months. There were no significant in postoperative partial weight bearing standing time, postoperative complications, hip functional score of Harris between two group. There were significant in the incision length, operation time, blood loss volume, clinical healing time of fracture. In the incision length, operation time, blood loss volume, clinical healing time of fracture, the PFNA group was significantly differently less than that of the reconstructing calcar group (<0.001). In the clinical healing time of fracture, the PFNA group was significantly differently less than that of the reconstructing calcar group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSFor the treatment of unstable femoral intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients, reconstructing calcar and PFNA are both effective, and proximal femoral intramedullary nails may be the best choice, which can be simpler operation, smaller incision and less healing time.