Short Versus Long Cephalomedullary Nails for Fixation of Stable Versus Unstable Intertrochanteric Femur Fractures at a Level 1 Trauma Center.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to compare failure and complication rates associated with short cephalomedullary nail vs long cephalomedullary nail fixation for stable vs unstable intertrochanteric femur fractures. This study included 201 adult patients with nonpathologic intertrochanteric femur fractures without subtrochanteric extension (OTA 31-A1.1-3, 31-A2.1-3, 31-A3.1-3) who were treated with a short cephalomedullary nail (n=70) or a long cephalomedullary nail (n=131) and had at least 6 months of follow-up. Treatment groups were similar in terms of age, sex, and comorbidities. In the stable fracture group (N=81), there was no difference in total complications (adjusted P=.73), failure (adjusted P=.78), or mortality (adjusted P=.62) between short cephalomedullary nails and long cephalomedullary nails. Unstable fracture patterns were more likely to be treated with a long cephalomedullary nail than a short cephalomedullary nail (P=.01). In the unstable fracture group (N=120), there was no difference in total complications (adjusted P=.32) or failure (adjusted P=.31) between short cephalomedullary nails and long cephalomedullary nails. A cumulative mortality curve showed a trend toward increasing mortality in unstable fractures treated with short cephalomedullary nails. Traumatologists did not display a statistically significant preference between short cephalomedullary nails and long cephalomedullary nails when compared with nontraumatologists. [Orthopedics. 2019; 42(2)e202-e209.].