Bipolar Hemiarthroplasty With a Calcar Stem for the Management of a Failed Proximal Femoral Nail Anti-rotation Asia (PFNA2) in a Case of Geriatric Unstable Intertrochanteric Femur Fracture.

Abstract

Intertrochanteric (IT) femur fractures in the elderly population comprise a major part of geriatric trauma and fractures. There are various modalities of surgical management, ranging from intramedullary fixation and extramedullary fixation to even replacing the hip joint. Apart from the surgeon's choice, other factors, such as geriatric age, bone quality and osteoporosis, medical comorbidities, life expectancy, pre-operative ambulatory status, muscle strength, type and pattern of fracture, and mental health of the patient, play vital roles in determining the ideal modality of management and the long-term outcome. The present case is a 75-year-old lady who had an IT fracture due to a domestic fall, managed surgically with a proximal femoral nail anti-rotation Asia (PFNA2) for an unstable fracture. She presented with blade back-out on the 11th day postoperatively. The patient was investigated thoroughly, and infection was ruled out. She was managed by the removal of the nail, followed by a cemented calcar-replacing bipolar hemiarthroplasty for an unstable comminuted IT fracture. The patient was ambulatory with a walker by the seventh postoperative day and without a walker by the sixth week, and she was self-sufficient in her activities of daily living. Every geriatric IT fracture must be evaluated thoroughly for contributing factors, such as osteoporosis and fracture pattern, to predict outcomes, and a tailor-made strategy of surgical management and stepwise physiotherapy must be provided to the patient for the best results.