Rigid fixation and early weight bearing in the treatment of pertrochanteric fractures of the femur.
The authors review eighty cases of pertrochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures of the femur treated surgically with the vitallium Jewett nail-plate between May 1975 and November 1977. They draw attention to the possibility offered by this fixation device of starting weight bearing at an early stage, a factor that is unanimously regarded as essential for rapid recovery in the elderly fracture patient. In fact, fifty-six patients commenced independent walking with some support within two weeks of operation. The fairly low incidence of complications (six in eighty operations), and the relative simplicity of the surgical technique, support the Jewett nail-plate as a suitable device for rigid fixation of trochanteric fractures of the neck of the femur.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001860:Bone Plates; D004434:Early Ambulation; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors