Multicenter prospective case series across 11 European centers evaluating the PFNA1 — an intramedullary nail with a helical blade instead of a lag screw — in 315 consecutive patients with AO 31.A.2 and 31.A.3 unstable trochanteric fractures, followed for one year to assess complications, re-operation rates, and functional recovery.
When fixing unstable trochanteric fractures (AO 31.A2/A3) in osteoporotic bone, the PFNA helical blade compresses cancellous bone and resists head/neck rotation rather than cutting through it — but counsel patients that nearly 1 in 5 will die within a year and only half will return to baseline mobility, and be vigilant for ipsilateral shaft fractures in the first 6 months, particularly if multiple distal locking attempts were required.
Multicenter prospective case series across 11 European centers evaluating the PFNA1 — an intramedullary nail with a helical blade instead of a lag screw — in 315 consecutive patients with AO 31.A.2 and 31.A.3 unstable trochanteric fractures, followed for one year to assess complications, re-operation rates, and functional recovery.
When fixing unstable trochanteric fractures (AO 31.A2/A3) in osteoporotic bone, the PFNA helical blade compresses cancellous bone and resists head/neck rotation rather than cutting through it — but counsel patients that nearly 1 in 5 will die within a year and only half will return to baseline mobility, and be vigilant for ipsilateral shaft fractures in the first 6 months, particularly if multiple distal locking attempts were required.