Principal Investigator: Nicholas J. Giori, MD, PhD Project Category: Bone & Joint - 2004 Objective: When adults break their femur, or thighbone, surgery is nearly always done to fix the fracture. These fractures are commonly fixed with an intramedullary nail, a rod that runs down the middle of the bone spanning the two pieces. There are two possible entry sites to place the rod in the proximal, or upper part, of the femur. One is through the piriformis fossa, and the other is through the tip of the greater trochanter. Trochanteric entry nails have become more popular lately because they are easier to put in, but they require reaming out a hole on the tip of the greater trochanter where the gluteus medius, an important muscle used for walking, normally attaches. In this study we plan to use gait analysis to determine whether placement of an intramedullary nail through the tip of the greater trochanter causes an abnormality with the patient's gait. Work Accomplished: We plan to study patients 3, 6, and 12 months after they have had an intramedullary nail of either type placed to fix a fracture of the femur. The project is currently in its early stages and no patients have yet been studied. Expected Outcome: We expect to learn whether placement of a femoral intramedullary nail through the tip of the greater trochanter affects gait. With knowledge derived from this study, we will be able to make better choices regarding which entry point to recommend when nailing a femur fracture. Funding Source: Synthes Funding Status: Active |
