Percutaneous compression plating versus compression hip screw fixation for the treatment of intertrochanteric hip fractures

Percutaneous compression plate (PCCP) devices are used for the fixation of intertrochanteric hip fractures by a minimally invasive technique. One hundred and eight patients who underwent this procedure were retrospectively compared with 155 patients who underwent compression hip screw (CHS) fixation. The general characteristics of the two groups, including age, sex, side of injury and co-morbidities assessed by the ASA score were similar. The operative time was significantly shorter in the PCCP group (67 versus 87 min, p = 0.00). Postoperative blood transfusions were not required in 40% of the patients in the PCCP group compared to 24% of the patients in the CHS group (p < 0.01). The rate of systemic postoperative complications was tower in the PCCP group (p = 0.02) both in univariate and muttivariate analyses. A considerable reduction was observed in cardiovascular complications (OR = 3.1, p < 0.05). Length of hospitalisation, implant failure and mortality rates were not significantly different between the two study groups. We conclude that the PCCP device offers several advantages over CHS device and may improve the current treatment of intertrochanteric hip fractures while maintaining a similar success rate in fracture fixation. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.