OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of external fixators on the intertrochanteric fracture in the advanced age patients.

METHODSFrom June 2008 to September 2010,32 cases who failed to be operated by the regular open-sugery were divided into two groups randomly, 16 of those were put in traction and conservative treatment;and the other 16 patients were treated by external fixation under anesthetization. In the traction group, there were 9 males and 7 females with an average age of (79.19 +/- 1.83) years ranging from 78 to 85. In the external fixation group, there were 10 males and 6 females with an average age of (79.69 +/- 2.41) years ranging from 78 to 88 years. Acoording to the Evans-Jensen classification,in the traction group, there were 6 cases of type I ,6 cases of type II, 7 cases of type III and lieing in bed 45 days in average; in the external fixation group, there were 6 cases of type I ,5 cases of type II, 2 cases of type III, 2 cases of type IV, and non-weight loading walking after surgery in a week in average.

RESULTSIn the traction group, 3 of them had decubitus, 3 of them had cardiopulmonary insufficiency, 2 of them had infection from traction needles, and 1 of them had pneumonia; in the external fixatioin group, only 2 of them had coxa vara. Based on the Harris scoring for the assessment of the function of hip join,in the traction group, the results were excellent in 4 cases,good in 3,fair in 3,poor in 6; in the external fixation group,the results were excellent in 10 cases, good in 3, fair in 2, poor in 1.

CONCLUSIONThus, the use of external fixation on the intertrochanteric fracture is a strong safe and effective method in treating intertrochanteric fracture of the advanced age patients.