A STUDY OF MANAGEMENT OF INTERTROCHANTERIC FRACTURES USING EXTERNAL FIXATOR

INTRODUCTION: There are various modalities of treatment described for the management of intertrochanteric fractures of femur. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcome of external fixation in the management of these fractures with respect to operative time, blood loss, hospital stay, ambulation, union and range of motion of proximal and distal joints. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study 30 patients with intertrochanteric fracture of femur were treated with simple uniplanar external fixator. Patients of atleast 60 years of age with AO/OTA type 1, 2 and 3 fractures were included in this study. The patients were regularly followed up for a period of 2 years and were evaluated with radiologically for fracture union and functionally with the help of Friedman & Wyman system. RESULTS: All patients were Evans stable type either before or after reduction except six cases, according to AO classification. Mean duration of union was around 14.5 +/- 1.2 weeks and was somewhat more for communited and displaced fractures. The mean operative time for fixator application was 26 +/- 5.5min with negligible blood loss. At the end of 2 years 7 patients had a good, 14 had fair and 9 had poor functional outcome. KEY MESSAGE: We concluded that though external fixation in intertrochanteric fractures has the advantages of percutaneous procedure with minimal blood loss and lesser operative time, it has less favorable results in terms of functional outcome and post-operative complications and hence should not be the preferred modality of treatment for these fractures.