title: [Design and clinical application of new type two-head automatic pressure external fixation (TAPEF)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To design a new type two-head automatic pressure external fixator and explore its clinical effects in treating intertrochanteric fracture of the femur.
  
  
  METHODS
  Base on unilateral angulated external fixator and Ilizarov techiques, a new type two-head automatic pressure external fixator were designed and made. From October 2006 to December 2010, 120 patients with intertrochanteric fracture of the femur were treated with the new type two-head automatic pressure external fixator. There were 67 males and 53 females with an average age of 76.7 years (ranged, 60 to 93 years). According to Evans classification, type I was in 65 cases, type II in 41, type III a in 10, type III b in 2 and type IV in 2. Operative time was from 0 to 11 days after injury with an average 5 days. Postoperative functional recovery was evaluated according to criteria of Sanders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 120 patients, 116 cases were followed up with an average of 12 months (ranged, 2 to 24 months). All fractures obtained healing with average healing time of 12 weeks (ranged, 10 to 13 weeks). Five cases occurred with superficial infection of pin site and no deep infection,non-union, coxa adducta were found. Joint function of hip recovered well. According to Sanders scoring, pain, walking, function, muscle strength, daily activities and X-ray estimate were respectively (9.07 +/- 0.41), (9.23 +/- 1.00), (9.42 +/- 1.10), (9.31 +/- 1.06), (9.22 +/- 1.03), (10.00 +/- 0.00) with total amount of (56.27 +/- 4.16). A hundred and six cases got an excellent results, 6 good, 4 poor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new type two-head automatic pressure external fixator is easy and convenient to apply in operation. It has duplicate functions of load and minimal invasive. It is an ideal method for treatment of the intertrochanteric fracture of the femur in high-risk and senile patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Danyang, Danyang 212300, Jiangsu, China. qinyx9692@163.com
authors.forename: Yu-Xing
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Yong-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Guang-Xiang
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Guo-Qing
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Lin-Zhong
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design