Treatment for unstable intertrochanteric fractures with proximal femoral locking plate in elderly patients / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the clinical outcomes of treating unstable intertrochanteric fractures with proximal femoral locking plate (PFLP) in the elderly patients.Methods From January 2010 to June 2015,380 elderly patients with unstable intertrochanteric fracture were treated with PFLP and successfully followed up at our department.They were 171 men and 209 women,from 60 to 89 years of age (average,68.7 years).By AO classification,there were 58 cases of AO31-A2.2,87 ones of 31-A2.3,130 ones of 31-A3.1,63 ones of 31-A3.2,and 42 ones of 31-A3.3.Operation time,incision length,length of hospital stay,fracture healing time,postoperative complications and hip joint Harris scores were recorded.Results This cohort was followed up for an average of 13.3 months (range,from 8 to 21 months).Their operation time averaged 53.2 min,X-ray exposure 12.2 times,intraoperative blood loss 92.7 mL,incision length 12.6 cm,postoperative drainage volume 54.7 mL,and length of hospital stay 9.2 days.Pulmonary infection was observed in 3 cases,fixation loosening in 8,fixation breakage in 2,hip varus in 9,and fracture nonunion in 4,yielding a total complication rate of 6.8％ (26/380).No operative incision infection was observed.The average fracture healing time was 11.8 weeks (range,from 7 to 48 weeks) after operation.The average Harris score one year postoperation for the 380 patients was 86.3 ± 6.1,significantly higher than the preoperative value (43.6±4.4) (P ＜0.05).There were 96 excellent,231 good,42 fair and 11 poor cases,giving an excellent to good rate of 86.1％.Conclusion Since PFLP has advantages of limited invasion,blood loss and complications,a high rate of fracture healing,and good functional recovery of the hip,it may be a good treatment for unstable intertrochanteric fractures in the elderly patients.