OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapic choice of intertrochanteric fractures of femur in aged patient.

METHODSFrom June 2006 to June 2010,58 patients with intertrochanteric fracture were treated with surgical methods. There were 25 males and 33 females, aged from 65 to 93 years old (averaged 79 years old). According to the Evans type, type I was in 30 cases, type II was in 28 cases. Of them, 25 patients were treated with hip replacement (group A) and 33 patients were treated with internal fixation (group B). The operative time, blood loss volume, the time of get out of bed, drainage volume, complications and function of joint motion were compared between two groups. According to Harris scoring to evaluate function of joint motion at the 3rd, 6th, 12th months after operation.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up more than 12 months (averaged 16.4 months). One patient in group A died of pneumonia one month later after operation and other patients live safely through peri-operation. The group B was better than that of group A at operative time, blood loss volume, drainage volume. In group A, 1 case died and 1 case got DVT, 2 cases got urinary tract infection and 1 case got pneumonia. While in group B, 1 case got bedsore, 1 case got coxa vara and 2 cases got urinary tract infection. The incidence rate of complication in group B was lower than that of group A (P < 0.05). According to Harris scoring system, at the 3rd, 6th,12th months after operation, Harris scoring in group A was respectively (78.43 +/- 5.32), (81.67 +/- 4.87), (87.66 +/- 4.01) scores and in group B was respectively (75.45 +/- 3.22), (76.33 +/- 4.12), (88.65 +/- 3.77) scores. There was statistical significance in Harris scoring at the 3rd, 6th months after operation between two groups (P < 0.05) and there was no statistical significance at the 12th months after operation (P > 0.05). At three months after operation, in group A,14 cases obtained excellent results, 5 good, 5 fair and 1 poor; and in group B, 8 cases obtained excellent results, 13 good, 9 fair and 3 poor. Six months later, in group A,18 excellent, 5 good, 2 fair and 0 poor, and in group B,10 excellent, 15 good, 6 fair and 2 poor. Twelve months later,in group A,18 excellent, 5 good, 1 fair and 1 poor; and in group B, 21 excellent, 9 good, 3 fair and 0 poor. Three and six months later after operation, the clinical effect in group A was better than that of group B (P < 0.05); but twelve months later, there was no significant differences between two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe internal fixation is especially the preferred method for the aged patient with intertrochanteric fractures. Hip replacement refer to pathologicalfracture caused by cancer, unheeded fracture abnormity, osteoprosis too serious to be treated by internal fixation or patients with ipsilateral symptomatic degenerative joint or revisions caused by failed internal fixation and severely intertrochanteric comminuted fractures and merged severely osteoporosis.