How to place a cephalomedullary screw when visualization is obscured by the jig in peritrochanteric hip fractures using “peek radiographs.”

Abstract

Lag screw positioning can be difficult to discern intraoperatively on lateral fluoroscopic imaging during intramedullary fixation of proximal femur fractures in some nailing systems due to the drill guide handle obstructing the view. We have described a method of obtaining non-obstructed lateral-oblique “peek” views that reliably assist in obtaining adequate tip-apex distance (TAD) measurements when using intramedullary fixation for these fractures. The purpose of this study was (1) to describe an intraoperative radiographic technique to obtain non-obscured views for appropriate center-center placement of the lag screw(s) within the femoral head during jig-aided cephalomedullary nailing of peritrochanteric hip fractures and (2) to present a case series detailing the radiographic results using this technique. This clinical series of sixty-five patients with intertrochanteric or subtrochanteric proximal femur fractures stabilized with a cephalomedullary nail had an average TAD of 15.1 ± 3.3mm (range: 9.4mm–26.2mm). This suggests that our technical trick of obtaining “peek” radiographs intraoperatively may aid in a precise lag-screw placement.