OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical results of early total care (ETC) treatment for elderly patients with intertrochanteric femur fractures.

METHODSClinical data of 106 elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture treated from January 2012 and February 2015 were retrospectively studied. According to whether receiving the early total care mode, the patients were divided into 2 groups, 34 cases were diagnosed and treated with early total care pattern (ETC group), including 14 males and 20 females with an average age of (74.88 ± 4.38) years old ranging from 70 to 86. According to Evans types, 4 cases were type I, 5 cases were type II, 13 cases were type III, 11 cases were type IV, 1 case was type V. Seventy-two patients were treated with conventional trauma method (conventional group), including 35 males and 37 females with an average age of (74.46 ± 3.63) years old ranging from 70 to 85. According to Evans type, 8 cases were type I ,13 cases were type II, 25 cases were type III, 25 cases were type IV, and 1 case was type V. All fractures were treated with proximal femoral nails anti-rotation (PFNA). Operative time, hospital stays, leaving bed time, complications, cases of death at 1 year after operation, postoperative Harris score at 12 months were observed and compared.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up, the time of ETC group ranged from 9 to 18 months with an average of 13.29 ± 1.51, and the time in conventional group ranged from 12 to 16 months with an average 12.93 ± 1.15, while there was no significant difference between two groups in time of following-up (t = 1.368, P = 0.174). There was no significant meaning in cases of death between ETC group (2 cases) and conventional group (8 cases). Three cases occurred complications in ETC group, and 20 cases in conventional group,there was obvious meaning between two groups (χ² = 0.739, P = 0.318). Operative time,hospital stays,leaving bed time in ETC group respectively was (2.03 ± 0.67) d, (15.41 ± 2.87) d and (3.62 ± 0.74) d; while in conventional group respectively was (4.17 ± 1.59) d, (20.11 ± 4.24) d and (5.35 ± 1.22) d; there were significant differences between two groups in operative time, hospital stays, leaving bed time. Postoperative Harris scores at 12 months in ETC group was (82.32 ± 4.56), and (79.24 ± 5.52) in conventional group, there was obvious meaning between two groups (t = 2.833, P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONETC pattern is a novel method for diagnosis and treatment of intertrochanteric femur fractures in elderly, it could shorten operative time, hospital stays, leaving bed time, decrease complications and promote recovery of function.