Trigen Intertan Nail in Unstable Peritrochanteric femur fractures in the Elderly -functional and radiological outcomes in 50 cases

INTRODUCTION: Peritrochanteric femur fractures have increased significantly in recent decades and the trend continues, due to rising age of the population. Surgical treatment, in the form of rigid internal fixation and early mobilization is now the gold standard. One of the recent implant developments is the Trigen Intertan Nail (Smith & Nephew) for the treatment of peri-trochanteric femur fractures that uses 2 cephalocervical screws in an integrated mechanism allowing linear intra-operative compression and rotational 3-point stability of the head/neck fragment. AIMS & OBJECTIVE: To analyse the functional & radiological outcomes using TRIGEN INTERTAN nail for the treatment of peri-trochanteric femur fractures in the elderly population. DESIGN: Prospective study. METHODS: Between March 1, 2016, and March 31, 2019, 50 patients with an intertrochanteric femur fracture were treated with Trigen InterTan Nail (Smith-Nephew). All fractures were classified by OTA/AO Classification. All surviving patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months post-operatively. Functional and radiographic evaluation were performed at 3 months & 6 months follow up using the modified Harris hip score. RESULTS: The age of the patients was 60-85 years. 2 patients died due to other co-morbidites, 3 did not come for follow up, leaving 45 patients available for final evaluation. The surgical time was 60-90 minutes. All fractures showed radiological union within 12-16 weeks . Radiographic analysis at healing revealed no loss of reduction, no uncontrolled collapse , no non-union, no femoral shaft fractures, and no implant failures. 2 cases had trochanteric split intra-operatively, requiring cerclage wiring, 1 case was poorly reduced and had varus malalignment. Modified Harris hip score was excellent in 20 patients, good in 10 cases, fair in 9 cases and poor in 1 case. CONCLUSIONS: The Trigen Intertan nail appears to be a reliable implant for the treatment of peri-trochanteric femoral fractures. Its design provides for stability against rotation and minimizes neck mal-unions (shortening) through linear intraoperative compression of the head/neck segment to the shaft. As a result of the minimal complication rate and improved clinical and radiological outcomes, this implant is now used as the standard implant for most unstable peri-trochanteric femur fractures at our institution.