Dislocation of the hip following valgus fixation of unstable pertrochanteric hip fractures: A complication

As the age of the population increases, hip fractures will become an increasingly common cause for presentation to accident/emergency and orthopaedic departments. Pertrochanteric fractures of the hip account for almost half of all fractures of the proximal femur. The surgical treatment of pertrochanteric fractures has been a contentious issue but the basic principles of fracture management (fracture reduction, fracture immobilisation and rehabilitation) must guide treatment. The most commonly used management technique used in the UK is reduction of the fracture on a fracture table and fixation using a sliding hip screw and plate (first introduced in the 1950s). The stable reduction and fixation of pertrochanteric fractures often presents difficulty to orthopaedic surgeons as many have inherent instability due to their configuration. One benefit of the hip screw and plate technique is that even if a fully stable reduction is not achieved, the ‘sliding’ apparatus of the