Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39480561›Full record

ArticleInternational orthopaedics2025

Use of medialized trochanteric-entry intramedullary nail to improve alignment in proximal femur nonunions.

Mitchel R Obey, Timothy S Achor, Stephen J Warner

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Article in International orthopaedics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Mitchel R ObeyDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Trauma Service, Washington University in St. Louis, 660 S. Euclid Campus, Box 8233, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA. Mitchel.obey@gmail.com.
Timothy S AchorDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Stephen J WarnerDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeProximal femur shaft nonunion is a challenging problem, often occurring after malreduction that results in postoperative malalignment and decreased healing potential. Correction of malalignment is critical to achieving osseous union. Here we present a novel technique for treating proximal femur nonunions with varus malalignment using an intramedullary nail inserted through a medialized trochanteric entry point.

methodsPatients who underwent a proximal femur shaft (subtrochanteric or proximal third shaft) nonunion operation at a single level 1 academic referral centre by two attending surgeons between 1/1/2014 and 1/1/2022 were identified. Radiographic imaging was reviewed to determine initial fracture classification and calculation of coronal plane alignment (CPA), which was measured on preoperative, immediate postoperative, and final follow-up radiographs. Postoperative complications, reoperations, infections, and osseous union were also collected.

resultsTwenty-one patients with a mean age of 49.9 years (66% male) were identified. Mean preoperative CPA was 125.6 degrees, immediate postoperative mean CPA was 132.6 degrees, and mean final follow-up CPA was 131.5 degrees. Mean change in CPA from immediate postoperative films to final follow-up was a decrease of 0.4 degrees. 17 patients had follow up for a minimum of 12 months or until osseous union, and all achieved union without any major complications.

conclusionExchange nailing with an antegrade trochanteric entry nail through a medialized trochanteric starting point is a safe and effective technique in the treatment of proximal femur nonunions. This technique results in improved postoperative alignment that is sustained throughout the postoperative course, and may lead to increased rates of osseous union.

Indexed as

Bone NailsFemoral FracturesFracture Fixation, IntramedullaryFractures, UnunitedAdultAgedBone MalalignmentFemaleFemurFracture HealingHumansMaleMiddle AgedPostoperative ComplicationsRadiographyReoperationCephalomedullary nailFemur NonunionIntramedullary nailProximal femur fractureTrochiformis

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.