In the treatment of trochanteric fractures, the distance between the tip of the screw and the apex of the femoral head or tip-to-apex distance (TAD) was popularized by Baumgaertner about 20 years ago as an important predictor of failure. Recently, a new reference point for determining the apex has been advocated. In this new calcar tip-to-apex (calTAD) the femoral head apex is referenced to the femoral calcar and not the center of the neck. The aim of this study is to evaluate which of these two indexes is better in predicting failure of pertrochanteric fracture fixation.
Both the traditional TAD and the new calTAD have shown to be relevant indexes and independently predictive of the likelihood of failure of pertrochanteric fracture fixation. Interestingly, we found the optimal threshold for the traditional TAD to be lower (<20 mm) than the traditional cutoff (<25 mm). Our study did not confirm calTAD to be superior to the traditional TAD. From the surgical practice point of view, the authors argue that the ideal position of the screw is the central region of the femoral head (minimal traditional TAD). In case of deviation, it must be infero-central in order to maintain a low calTAD thus minimizing the risk of fixation failure.
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.
In the treatment of trochanteric fractures, the distance between the tip of the screw and the apex of the femoral head or tip-to-apex distance (TAD) was popularized by Baumgaertner about 20 years ago as an important predictor of failure. Recently, a new reference point for determining the apex has been advocated. In this new calcar tip-to-apex (calTAD) the femoral head apex is referenced to the femoral calcar and not the center of the neck. The aim of this study is to evaluate which of these two indexes is better in predicting failure of pertrochanteric fracture fixation.
Both the traditional TAD and the new calTAD have shown to be relevant indexes and independently predictive of the likelihood of failure of pertrochanteric fracture fixation. Interestingly, we found the optimal threshold for the traditional TAD to be lower (<20 mm) than the traditional cutoff (<25 mm). Our study did not confirm calTAD to be superior to the traditional TAD. From the surgical practice point of view, the authors argue that the ideal position of the screw is the central region of the femoral head (minimal traditional TAD). In case of deviation, it must be infero-central in order to maintain a low calTAD thus minimizing the risk of fixation failure.
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.