Hip fractures: condylocephalic rod versus compression screw.

In a series of 70 consecutive patients with nonpathologic intertrochanteric or subtrochanteric hip fractures, the first 35 were treated by a single semi-flexible condylocephalic nail. The second 35 patients were treated by a sliding compression screw and side-plate. The groups were comparable regarding age and intercurrent medical illness. The average anesthesia time and blood loss were nearly the same in each group. The incidence of failure of fracture fixation was high in the group treated by the condylocephalic nail, statistically significant at p less than .001. None of the patients treated by the sliding compression screw and side-plate lost fracture fixation. In this series, condylocephalic nails did not provide good fixation of this type of fracture and did not lessen surgical morbidity.