STUDY OF FAILURE RATE OF GAMMA NAILS FOR FIXATION OF UNSTABLE TROCHANTERIC FRACTURES

Document Type : Preliminary preprint short reports of original research

Authors

1 Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology , faculty of Medicine, university of Alexandria.

2 Department of Orthopaedic,Faculty of medicine ,University of Alexandria

3 Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria.

4 Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University

Abstract

Trochanteric fractures significantly affect older patients' physical and mental health as well as their capacity for independent living.Early surgical management is advised to prevent the complications associated with long-term immobility.
Trochanteric fractures are mainly fixed with intramedullary or extra medullary devices even though the intramedullary implant is preferred in unstable trochanteric fractures because it allows load sharing at the fracture site and is more biomechanically stable than the extra-medullary device.
Gamma nails offer the benefit of closed reduction with minimal soft tissue handling which allows early mobilization, , short hospital stay, less operative time, less blood loss, fracture healing and good functional outcome.
As unstable Trochanteric fractures commonly affect elderly individuals with low bone density and related comorbidities, surgical treatment of these fractures is linked with risks suchas fixation failure. These issues include varus collapse, screw cutout, non-union, femoral fracture, peri-implant fracture and infection.
AIM OF THE WORK:
The aim of this work was to study the failure rate of unstable trochanteric fractures (according to Evans' classification) fixed with gamma nail at El-Hadra University Hospital.

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