Cephalomedullary nailing versus sliding hip screws for Intertrochanteric and basicervical hip fractures: a propensity-matched study of short-term outcomes in over 17,000 patients.

backgroundHip fractures are associated with poor mortality and morbidity outcomes. Controversy exists over what the preferred treatment is between sliding hips screws (SHSs) and cephalomedullary nails (CMNs) for stable intertrochanteric (IT) and basicervical (BC) hip fractures. The purpose of this study was to compare early postoperative outcomes and complications in patients treated with SHS to those treated with CMN in IT and BC hip fractures.

methodsWe used the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to identify IT and BC hip fractures, excluding subtrochanteric hip fractures treated with a SHS and CMN for 2008 to 2016. After propensity score matching, there were 8505 patients in the SHS cohort and 8505 in the CMN cohort. Propensity score-adjusted multivariate regression models assed SHS as an independent risk factor for the following 30-day outcomes: mortality, postoperative major and minor complications, discharge disposition, readmission and reoperation, length of hospital stay (LOS), and operative time.

resultsNo difference in mortality was encountered between SHS and CMN (p = 0.440). Compared to CMN, the SHS cohort had an 11.6% decreased likelihood of a minor complication (p < 0.001); however, no difference was found between CMN and SHS for major complications (p = 0.117). SHS patients were less likely to have transfusion (p < 0.001), DVT (p = 0.007), and MI (0.024). SHS patients were 12.5% more likely to go home (p = 0.002). No association was discovered between being treated with a SHS and reoperation (p = 0.449) and readmission (p = 0.588). SHS patients had almost a quarter of a day longer LOS (p = 0.041). Patients treated with SHS had a statistically significant (p < 0.001), but clinically irrelevant 2-min longer procedure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.