The trochanteric nail versus the sliding hip screw for intertrochanteric hip fractures: a review of 93 cases

BACKGROUND: The trochanteric nail, a redesigned short gamma nail, (Howmedica, Rutherford, NJ) was introduced in the United States during 1998 for the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 93 patients who were treated for an intertrochanteric fracture with either a sliding hip screw (SHS) or the short trochanteric nail (TN). RESULTS: In all, 94% of the patients in the sliding hip screw group healed without complication. There was one case of femoral head necrosis, one lag screw cutout, and one hardware removal for pain. Eighty-nine percent of the patients in the trochanteric nail group healed without complication. There was one late fracture at the tip of the nail, three cases of lag screw cutout, and one nonunion. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the trochanteric nail is a reasonable alternative to the sliding hip screw when used for intertrochanteric fractures, although it may be associated with higher complication rates.