Surgical treatment of trochanteric fractures: An Ivorian experience

Background: Trochanteric fractures have become a major focus of orthopaedic interest. Surgical management is the best option for treating such fractures. Objective: To present our experience with the surgical treatment of trochanteric fractures with special attention to short-term results. Design: A retrospective study performed between 1993 and 2002. Setting: Department of orthopaedics surgery, Yopougon teaching hospital, Abidjan, C te d'Ivoire. Patients and methods: There were 48 men and 17 women with a mean age of 44 years at the moment of the injury. Road traffic accident was the main cause of fractures accounting for 42 cases. Mean preoperative delay was 22 days. Surgical implants used were the Judet screw plate and Küntscher nail. Results: Postoperative death occurred in three cases. Fracture healing was achieved in 57 patients at an average of four months. Malunion and displacement into varus was noticed in 11.7% of patients. Infection occurred in seven patients, wound hematoma in eight and decubital ulcer in five. Conclusions: Trochanteric fractures in our environment are caused by severe trauma. These injuries could be managed surgically with simple methods that are readily available with immediate satisfactory outcome.