How do you treat an intertrochanteric fracture?
Intertrochanteric fractures are treated surgically with either a sliding compression hip screw and side plate or an intramedullary nail. The compression hip screw is fixed to the outer side of the bone with bone screws. A large secondary screw (lag screw) is placed through the plate into the femoral head and neck.
Is an intertrochanteric fracture an emergency?
Operative management of these fractures is considered urgent, not emergent. This allows the many comorbidities with which patients often present to be optimized preoperatively, to reduce morbidity and mortality.
Can intertrochanteric fracture heal without surgery?
Depending on health and injury pattern this bone can take 3-4 months to heal without surgery. Physical therapy for hip and knee range of motion is started around 6 weeks once bone has healed enough to prevent displacement with motion.
What are the treatment options for open fractures of the femur shaft?
To reduce the risk of infection, open fractures are treated with antibiotics as soon as you arrive at the hospital. The open wound, tissues, and bone will be cleaned during surgery. For the time between initial emergency care and your surgery, your doctor may place your leg either in a long-leg splint or in traction.
What is the best option for treatment of unstable intertrochanteric fractures?
Although the standard and ideal treatment for intertrochanteric fractures still is the internal fixation devices such as dynamic hip screw (DHS) and intramedullary nailing, common problems such as cutting out of the hip screw in unstable and osteoporotic fractures (which reported to be as high as 4-20%) have questioned …
How long does it take for a intertrochanteric fracture to heal?
All the intertrochanteric fractures healed on average 70.5 days (range 31-213 days) after operation. The fractures resulting from vehicular trauma or fall from a height healed significantly more slowly (p = 0.02, univariant log-rank test). There were 6 intertrochanteric fracture-related complications.
How long does intertrochanteric fracture surgery take?
The surgeon makes a surgical cut on the side of your thigh. The metal plate or nail is attached with a few screws. This surgery takes 2 to 4 hours.
What is the recommended treatment for an open leg fracture?
Almost all open fractures are treated in the operating room. It is important to go to surgery as soon as possible so that your open wound can be cleaned out to help prevent infection. Depending on your specific injury, you will be given either regional or general anesthesia during this procedure.
What is the first aid treatment for an open fracture?
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- Stop any bleeding. Apply pressure to the wound with a sterile bandage, a clean cloth or a clean piece of clothing.
- Immobilize the injured area. Don’t try to realign the bone or push a bone that’s sticking out back in.
- Apply ice packs to limit swelling and help relieve pain.
- Treat for shock.
What is a Pertrochanteric fracture?
Pertrochanteric femoral fractures are a subtype of trochanteric fractures involving the femur. They are one of the most common fractures in old patients. They can involve both the greater and lesser trochanter and are a type of extracapsular fracture.
Where is the intertrochanteric region of the femur?
The intertrochanteric area of the femur is distal to the femoral neck and proximal to the femoral shaft; it is the area of the femoral trochanters, the lesser and the greater trochanters (see the image below).
What type of fracture is intertrochanteric?
An intertrochanteric fracture is a type of hip fracture or broken hip. The hip is made up of two bones—the femur, or “thigh bone,” and the pelvis, or “socket.” The hip is an important ball-in-socket joint that allows you to move your leg when walking.
What is the treatment for intertrochanteric femur fractures?
Intertrochanteric femur fractures are common in older patients and often have a significant impact on disability. The treatment aims to achieve a rapid return to the prior functional level with a low rate of complications and mortality. Surgical management by internal fixation is the mainstay of treatment for most of these fractures.
What is an intertrochanteric fracture?
“Intertrochanteric” means “between the trochanters,” which are bony protrusions on the femur (thighbone). They’re the points where the muscles of the thigh and hip attach. There are two trochanters in the body: the greater trochanter and the lesser trochanter. An intertrochanteric fracture occurs between the greater and lesser trochanters.
How long does it take to recover from an intertrochanteric fracture?
Surgery is the most common treatment for intertrochanteric fractures. Some people make a full recovery and return to normal activities after several months. You may regain full strength and be able to do the same things as before.
What is the role of a hip arthroplasty in intertrochanteric fractures?
Hip arthroplasty is an alternative in older patients with intertrochanteric femur fractures at high risk of fixation failure or with concomitant intraarticular pathologies.