Intramedullary versus extramedullary fixation for the treatment of intertrochanteric hip fractures.

One hundred thirty-one patients (135 fractures) who sustained an intertrochanteric fracture were assigned randomly to treatment with either a sliding hip screw or an intramedullary hip screw and followed up prospectively. In patients with unstable intertrochanteric fractures, the intramedullary device was associated with 23% less surgical time and 44% less blood loss; however, use of the intramedullary hip screw in patients who had a stable fracture pattern required 70% greater fluoroscopic time. Intraoperative complications occurred exclusively in patients in the intramedullary hip screw group. There were no differences in the rates of functional recovery between the two fixation groups.