Penugonda Ravi Shankar1, Vanga Anil2, Gangireddi Sureshbabu3, Seetham Raju Vidya Sagar4
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the rate of union, complications, operative risks and functional outcomes in intertrochanteric fractures treated with DHS and PFN, To compare the results obtained and To compare the effectiveness of DHS and PFN in treatment of intertrochanteric fractures.
RESULTS: In the present series of 24 cases of Intertrochanteric fractures were treated by proximal femoral nailing and dynamic hip screw, 12 cases in each. Out of 24 there were 13 male and 11 female. Minimum age was 36 years, maximum age 76 years with mean age of 59.25 years. Slip and fall accounted for 75% of cases. BOYD and GRIFFIN type II fracture accounted for 58.3% of cases. Mean duration of hospital stay was 26 days in both PFN and DHS groups. Length of incision was small 5-6cm in PFN group compared to 10-12cm in DHS group. Mean external blood loss 150ml in PFN group and 315 ml in DHS group. Mean time for full weight bearing was 11.5 weeks for PFN group and 14.3 weeks for DHS group. Radiological union was 12.3 weeks in PFN group and 15.5 weeks in DHS group. Good to excellent results were seen in 91.7% of cases in PFN group and 75% in DHS group.
CONCLUSION: From the study, we consider PFN as better alternative to DHS in the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures but is technically difficult procedure and requires more expertise compared to DHS.As learning curve of PFN procedure is steep, with experience gained from each case operative time, radiation exposure and intraoperative complications can be reduced in each case of PFN.
