Therapeutic Effects of the Proximal Femoral Nail for the Treatment of Unstable Intertrochanteric Fractures

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical effect of the proximal femoral nail on elderly patients with unstable intertrochanteric fracture and the effect of the proximal femoral nail on serum levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and osteoprotegerin (OPG). METHODS: The elderly patients with unstable intertrochanteric fracture of the femur admitted to our hospital from January 2017 to January 2021 were studied. 100 patients were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n = 50) and the observation group (n = 50). The patients in the control group were treated with a proximal femoral locking compression plate. The patients in the observation group were treated with the proximal femoral antirotation intramedullary nail. The clinical therapeutic effects of the two groups and the changes in serum MMPs and OPG levels before and after treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the operation time, postoperative landing time, and fracture healing time of the observation group were significantly shortened, and intraoperative blood loss was significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the total effective rate of patients in the observation group was significantly higher (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of CRP, IL1β, IL2, MMP-2, MMP-6, TIMP-1, and RANKL decreased significantly in both groups (P < 0.05), while the levels of OPG increased significantly (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the changes in the above indexes were more obvious in the observation group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The proximal femoral antirotation intramedullary nail has a better therapeutic effect on elderly patients with unstable intertrochanteric fracture, and the level of MMPs and OPG may be related to the treatment process.