Ipsilateral hip and femoral shaft fractures treated with intramedullary nails

This study retrospectively analysed 34 patients with ipsilateral hip and femoral shaft fractures treated over a period of 10 years between January 1995 and January 2005. They had an average age of 35 years. Twenty-six (76.47%) of these cases suffered high-velocity trauma (RTA); six others had fallen from a height (17.65%), and two had suffered only minimal trauma (5.88%). Twenty were extracapsular (58.82%) and 14 were intracapsular. They were evaluated with an average follow-up of 28 months, both clinically and radiologically; 26 patients (76.47%) had a good result (Friedman and Wyman score). When the intracapsular fracture was detected postperatively, there was one delayed union and one non-union. When the fracture is diagnosed preoperatively, we recommend reconstruction nail fixation. If the hip fracture is diagnosed intra- or postoperatively following nailing of the shaft, we propose the miss-a-nail technique as an option.