Published online Nov 18, 2020. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v11.i11.483
Peer-review started: June 17, 2020
First decision: July 21, 2020
Revised: July 29, 2020
Accepted: September 1, 2020
Article in press: September 1, 2020
Published online: November 18, 2020
Processing time: 150 Days and 9.4 Hours
There are few studies in the literature comparing the clinical outcomes and radiographic results of proximal femoral nail (PFN) and proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) for pertrochanteric femoral fracture (PFF) in elderly patients.
To evaluate both clinical and radiographic outcomes after fixation with PFN and PFNA in an elderly patient population.
One hundred fifty-eight patients older than 65 years with PFF who underwent fixation with either PFN or PFNA were included. Seventy-three patients underwent fixation with PFN, whereas 85 were fixed with PFNA. The mean follow-up was 2.4 years (range, 1-7 years). Clinical outcome was measured in terms of operation time, postoperative function at each follow-up visit, and mortality within one year. Radiographic evaluation included reduction quality after surgery, Cleveland Index, tip-apex distance (TAD), union rate, time to union, and sliding distance of the screw or blade. Complications including nonunion, screw cutout, infection, osteonecrosis of the femoral head, and implant breakage were also investigated.
Postoperative function was more satisfactory in patients who underwent PFNA than in those who underwent PFN (P = 0.033). Radiologically, the sliding difference was greater in PFN than in PFNA patients (6.1 and 3.2 mm, respectively, P = 0.036). The rate of screw cutout was higher in the PFN group; eight for PFN (11.0%) and two for PFNA patients (2.4%, P = 0.027). There were no differences between the two groups in terms of operation time, mortality rate at one year after the operation, adequacy of reduction, Cleveland Index, TAD, union rate, time to union, nonunion, infection, osteonecrosis, or implant breakage.
Elderly patients with PFF who underwent PFNA using a helical blade demonstrated better clinical and radiographic outcomes as measured by clinical score and sliding distance compared with patients who underwent PFN.
Core Tip: There are few studies comparing the clinical outcomes and radiographic results in elderly patients with pertrochanteric femoral fracture (PFF) receiving proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) and those receiving the previous-generation proximal femoral nail. PFNA using a helical blade demonstrated better clinical and radiographic outcomes in terms of clinical score, sliding distance and cutout rate in elderly patients with PFF.