A prospective randomized study of the use of sliding hip screws and Ender nails for trochanteric fractures of the femur.

The functional outcome of trochanteric hip fractures was investigated prospectively in a group of 92 patients treated at random with either Ender nails or a sliding hip screw. Apart from clinical variables, the walking ability of the patients was assessed by gait analysis performed on an electronic walkway. No perioperative complications were noted. The patients in the Ender group had significantly less blood loss and a shorter operation time than the patients treated with the sliding hip screw, indicating that the former method is more gentle as a primary intervention. However, over time there were more reoperations in the Ender group and the functional outcome, including gait analysis after 6 months, showed more favourable results for fractures treated with the sliding hip screw. We therefore recommend the sliding hip screw for an optimal functional result.