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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
Treatment with Locking Intramedullary Nailing for Intertrochanteric Fracture of the Femur Utilizing a New Awl with a Distal Positioner
Published on: June 6, 2025
[Therapeutic evaluation of femoral intertrochanteric fractures by InterTan]
1Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200233, PR China.
Objective:
To evaluate the effectiveness of InterTan in the treatment of femoral intertrochanteric fractures.
Methods:
Between April 2009 and July 2009, 57 patients with femoral intertrochanteric fracture were treated with InterTan. There were 33 males and 24 females with an average age of 68 years (range, 45-88 years). The locations were left side in 31 cases and right side in 26 cases and all fractures were closed fractures. According to Association for Osteosynthesis/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO/OTA) classification, there were 23 cases of type 31-A1, 27 of type 31-A2, and 7 of type 31-A3. The disease duration was 2 to 8 days with an average of 3.3 days. The data of operative time, blood loss, perioperative blood transfusion, hospitalization day, fracture healing time, and Harris hip score were recorded.
Results:
The operative time and the blood loss were (74.5 +/- 19.7) minutes and (148.8 +/- 79.6) mL, respectively. There were significant differences in the operative time and the blood loss among the AO/OTA subgroups (P < 0.05). Twenty-five patients required a blood transfusion and the transfusion volume was (264.0 +/- 90.7) mL. The average hospitalization days were 7 days (range, 6-9 days). Thirty-five patients were followed up 12 to 15 months (13.3 months on average). X-ray films showed that all fractures healed within (2.8 +/- 0.8) months. The healing time of fracture was (2.4 +/- 0.6), (2.9 +/- 0.9), and (3.8 +/- 0.5) months in 31-A1 subgroup, 31-A2 subgroup, and 31-A3 subgroup, respectively. There was no significant difference in healing time of fracture between 31-A1 subgroup and 31-A2 subgroup (P > 0.05), and there were significant differences between 31-A3 group and 31-A1 subgroup, 31-A2 subgroup (P < 0.05). No shortening, cut-out, varus malposition, femoral shaft fracture, or implant failures was found. The Harris score at the final follow-up was 84.5 +/- 8.2 with an excellent and good rate of 80% (15 cases of excellent, 13 of good, 6 of fair, and 1 of poor). Twenty patients (57%) recovered the walking ability.
Conclusion:
The new intertrochanteric antegrade nail of InterTan can be used to treat femoral intertrochanteric fractures with good clinical outcomes, high union rate, and less complications.
