Treatment of subtrochanteric nonunions

Injury. 2006 Feb;37(2):203-11. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2005.09.017. Epub 2006 Jan 18.

Abstract

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate our results of treating subtrochanteric nonunions with a (AO/ASIF) blade plate. We treated a total of 32 patients (33 hips) with a subtrochanteric nonunion with a blade plate. Outcome measures were time to healing, complications after the index-operation and the Merle d'Aubigne hip score at follow-up. Union was achieved in 32 of the 33 hips after an average of 5 months. Complications were seen in nine patients (nine hips); five complications required re-intervention and four minor complications were treated conservatively. According to the Merle d'Aubigne hip score, 10 patients were rated as excellent, 15 as good and 7 as fair. This study shows that treatment of a subtrochanteric nonunion with a blade plate consistently leads to bony union with a good to excellent hip score in the vast majority of the patients (25 out of 33 hips).

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bone Plates / adverse effects
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Fracture Fixation / adverse effects
  • Fracture Fixation / instrumentation*
  • Fracture Fixation / methods
  • Fracture Healing
  • Fractures, Ununited / surgery*
  • Hip Fractures / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Reoperation
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome