Clinical and Radiological Results of Minimally Invasive Two-Hole Dynamic Hip Screw Fixation of Stable Intertrochanteric Fractures: A Prospective Study of 50 Patients

Abstract Background  Intertrochanteric fractures are fractures of elderly population and are known for morbidity and mortality. Early stabilization with minimal surgical trauma is important for early mobilization to prevent recumbence-related complications. Methods  This prospective study was conducted on 50 stable intertrochanteric fractures that were managed by fixation with a small two-hole dynamic hip screw –(DHS) side plate using a minimally invasive technique. The surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, length of the skin incision, duration of hospital stay, time to full weight bearing and fracture union, and complications were recorded. Results  The mean age of the patients was 60.2 years with 64% belonging to male sex. The mean operative time, average blood loss, and mean incision length were 35.6 minutes, 68.4 mL, and 3.7 cm, respectively. Time to bone healing ranged from 10 to 16 weeks (mean 13 weeks). Two patients had hip screw backout but that did not interfere with failure of fixation. Conclusion  Stabilization of stable intertrochanteric fractures with two-hole DHS using minimally invasive approach is a viable option with negligible complication rate related to failure of small DHS side plate.