title: Use of Ender's nails in unstable trochanteric femoral fractures.
abstract: Eighty consecutive patients with unstable trochanteric femoral fractures treated by the Ender technique have been studied. Early fixation failure was seen in 18% of patients. Leg shortening and external rotation deformities due to uncontrolled fragmentary collapse were found in almost 80% of the 57 surviving patients at 3 months, and caused severe disability. The continued use of the Ender technique in unstable fractures is questioned.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001858:Bone Nails; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography