title: DHS osteosynthesis for stable pertrochanteric femur fractures with a two-hole side plate.
abstract: The sliding hip screw is the implant of choice for the operative treatment of stable pertrochanteric femur fractures (AO classification 31-A.1). For this indication, a four-hole side plate with four bicortical screws is widely used to allow full weight bearing immediately after operation, but scientific support for the need of such a long side plate is not available. A shorter side plate is potentially less invasive. Therefore, we retrospectively evaluated all 148 consecutive patients (median age 80 years) with a stable pertrochanteric femur fracture who were treated between 1995 and 2001 with a dynamic hip screw (DHS) and a short (two-hole) side plate and immediate full weight bearing mobilisation. Although two wound hematomas and four wound infections occurred, 145 fractures healed radiologically without implant-related complications within 6 months. Two hip screws cut out of the femoral head due to a poor position. In one patient, the side plate broke out after a fall out of bed on the fifth postoperative day. Pull off of any two-hole side plate during early full weight bearing mobilisation without further trauma was not observed. We conclude that fixation of stable pertrochanteric femur fractures with a two-hole DHS is safe. The traditional use of a four-hole DHS plate for this indication is therefore 'over-treatment' since it is more invasive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St Elisabeth Hospital, P.O. Box 90151, 5000 LC Tilburg, The Netherlands. michiel@verhofstad.nl
authors.forename: Michiel H J
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Verhofstad
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van der Werken
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome