Video Gallery

Unstable Intertrochanteric Hip Repair With a Cephalomedullary Nail

March 01, 2019

Contributors: Adam Driesman, MD; Sanjit R Konda, MD, FAAOS; Jessica Mandel, BA; Amy Wasterlain, MD; Kenneth A Egol, MD, FAAOS; Kenneth A Egol, MD, FAAOS

This video demonstrates repair of an unstable intertrochanteric hip fracture using a cephalomedullary device. The patient shown in the video is an 88-year-old woman with an intertrochanteric hip fracture secondary to a low-energy injury. Surgery was indicated because of the unstable nature of the fracture. Anatomic reduction and stable fixation was obtained using the technique. Intertrochanteric fracture fixation using a cephalomedullary nail is common and is associated with substantial advantages, including minimal intraoperative blood loss, decreased surgical time, increased potential for biological healing with a load-sharing device, and a low infection rate. In the appropriate clinical setting, cephalomedullary nailing is an effective and expeditious form of fixation that restores length, alignment, and rotation of the proximal femur.