Prospective study of Intertrochanteric femur fractures managed with proximal femoral nailing

Background: Elderly patients with a minor fall can sustain a fracture in this area because of debilitated bone due to osteoporosis or pathological fracture and this account for 90%. Benefits of intramedullary devices like PFN include preserved blood supply to the bone fragments, less operative blood loss and less disruption of the environment. The study was conducted to determine the union rate, functional outcome and the complication in intertrochanteric fractures treated by PFN. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study on 30 patients with intertrochanteric fractures were done at a tertiary care centre between April 2018 to March 2019. All patients were managed by proximal femoral nail. The patients were evaluated radiologically and functionally. The radiographic evaluation was done for a minimum of three cortices union on anteroposterior and lateral views. The functional evaluation was done on the basis of Harris Hip Score (HHS).Results: The results of the treatment of stable intertrochanteric fractures using Proximal Femoral Nail were assessed by Harris Hip Score system. Most of the patients were having fair to excellent outcome.Conclusion: we consider that the PFN is a highly accepted minimally invasive implant for unstable proximal femoral fractures but future modification of the implant to avoid Z-effect phenomenon, careful surgical technique and selection of the patients should further reduce its complication rate. Early post-operative ambulation and physiotherapy improves the results of PFN.