title: Methods to avoid gamma nail complications.
abstract: Femoral neck fractures are progressively increasing, due to higher survival rates, particularly among the female population. The gamma nail was created to treat intertrochanteric fracture types 31-A1, 31-A2 and 31-A3 and in some cases basicervical fractures of type 31-B2-1. Complications can be classified as intraoperative and postoperative. The intraoperative might be related to the nail's introduction site, lag and distal locking screw positions. Postoperative complications depend mostly on an incorrect surgical technique, which can lead to an inaccurate nail position and consequent implant failure. We rarely observe failures caused by severe bone osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Ortopedia, Traumatologia e Chirurgia del Rachide, Ospedale Maggiore C.A. Pizzardi, Largo Negrisoli 2, Bologna, Italy. raffaele.pascarella@libero.it
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pascarella
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cucca
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maresca
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Commessatti
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bracci
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boriani
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gozzi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001858:Bone Nails / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control