Biomaterial Database

Subtrochanteric fractures: Zickel nail or nail-plate? 1986

W G Thomas, and R N Villar

Of 135 consecutive patients admitted with subtrochanteric fractures of the femur, 104 were studied; half had internal fixation with a Zickel nail and half had a nail-plate device. Fractures treated with a Zickel nail had significantly less blood loss during operation and took less time to walk with full weight-bearing, but the incidence of technical error at operation was higher. Errors included malalignment of the cross-pin, penetration of the femoral cortex and comminution of the greater trochanter. There was mechanical failure within one year of surgery in 17% of the nail-plate series but no implant failures in the Zickel nail group within the same period. The total time spent in hospital was similar in both groups. The Zickel nail provides better fixation for subtrochanteric fractures than a simple nail-plate but, because of technical difficulty, its use should be reserved for surgeons of reasonable experience.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011183	Postoperative Complications	Pathologic processes that affect patients after a surgical procedure. They may or may not be related to the disease for which the surgery was done, and they may or may not be direct results of the surgery.	Complication, Postoperative,Complications, Postoperative,Postoperative Complication
D011859	Radiography	Examination of any part of the body for diagnostic purposes by means of X-RAYS or GAMMA RAYS, recording the image on a sensitized surface (such as photographic film).	Radiology, Diagnostic X-Ray,Roentgenography,X-Ray, Diagnostic,Diagnostic X-Ray,Diagnostic X-Ray Radiology,X-Ray Radiology, Diagnostic,Diagnostic X Ray,Diagnostic X Ray Radiology,Diagnostic X-Rays,Radiology, Diagnostic X Ray,X Ray Radiology, Diagnostic,X Ray, Diagnostic,X-Rays, Diagnostic
D001858	Bone Nails	Rods of bone, metal, or other material used for fixation of the fragments or ends of fractured bones.	Bone Pins,Bone Nail,Bone Pin,Nail, Bone,Nails, Bone,Pin, Bone,Pins, Bone
D001860	Bone Plates	Implantable fracture fixation devices attached to bone fragments with screws to bridge the fracture gap and shield the fracture site from stress as bone heals. (UMDNS, 1999)	Bone Plate,Plate, Bone,Plates, Bone
D004434	Early Ambulation	Procedure to accelerate the ability of a patient to walk or move about by reducing the time to AMBULATION. It is characterized by a shorter period of hospitalization or recumbency than is normally practiced.	Ambulation, Early,Early Mobilization,Accelerated Ambulation,Ambulation, Accelerated,Mobilization, Early
D005260	Female		Females
D006620	Hip Fractures	Fractures of the FEMUR HEAD; the FEMUR NECK; (FEMORAL NECK FRACTURES); the trochanters; or the inter- or subtrochanteric region. Excludes fractures of the acetabulum and fractures of the femoral shaft below the subtrochanteric region (FEMORAL FRACTURES).	Femoral Trochlear Fractures,Intertrochanteric Fractures,Subtrochanteric Fractures,Trochanteric Fractures,Trochlear Fractures, Femur,Femoral Trochlear Fracture,Femur Trochlear Fracture,Femur Trochlear Fractures,Fracture, Femoral Trochlear,Fracture, Femur Trochlear,Fractures, Femoral Trochlear,Fractures, Femur Trochlear,Fractures, Hip,Fractures, Intertrochanteric,Fractures, Subtrochanteric,Fractures, Trochanteric,Trochlear Fracture, Femoral,Trochlear Fracture, Femur,Trochlear Fractures, Femoral
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man