title: Complications relating to accuracy of reduction of intertrochanteric fractures treated with a compressive hip screw.
abstract: Intertrochanteric fracture is the most frequent type of fracture in the proximal femur and the compressive hip screw is one of the most popular methods of treatment. The reduction criteria for this type of fracture are ill-defined. The purpose of this study was to validate 3 reduction criteria: displacement, alignment in the anteroposterior and in the lateral plane. We reviewed a cohort of 430 intertrochanteric fractures treated with a compression hip screw. The type of fracture, quality of reduction and technical complications were noted. We observed a relationship between accuracy of reduction and the incidence of complications, even among fractures of the same severity. A displacement bigger than 4mm and failure to accomplish correct alignment (a neck-shaft angle over 125 masculine and less than 20 degrees angulation on the lateral view) was considered a poor reduction and was associated with more complications.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedics, Curry Cabral Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal. fguerrapinto@gmail.com
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guerra Pinto
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dantas
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mamede
authors.forename: Luís Branco
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Amaral
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001863:Bone Screws / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017759:Fractures, Malunited / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies