title: Potentially unstable intertrochanteric fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of risk factors for loss of reduction in initially stable intertrochanteric fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective database analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  University teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-six patients over the age of 55 years presenting with fractures of the trochanteric region caused by a low-energy injury, classified as AO/OTA type 31-A1 (stable fracture in Evans classification).
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment with a sliding compression hip screw.
  
  
  METHODS
  The outcome examined in this study was loss of reduction as measured by the amount of medialization of the femoral shaft.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased age (P = 0.01) and comminution of the lateral cortex (P = 0.0001) were factors significantly associated with excessive displacement. These 2 factors had a high degree of correlation (r = 0.76).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A surgeon must be aware of iatrogenic fragmentation of the lateral cortex at the time of surgery in apparently stable intertrochanteric fractures in older patients because of the potential for subsequent loss of reduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hallym University Hospital, Anyang, Korea. gunil@hallym.ac.kr
authors.forename: Gun-Il
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Yong-Woon
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Young-Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001863:Bone Screws; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006617:Hip Dislocation / Q000209:etiology*; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure