Trochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures. The operative results in a prospective and comparative study of Ender nailing and McLaughlin Osteosynthesis

Abstract

A comparative and prospective study was performed in order to evaluate the advantages or disadvantages of the Ender operation in comparison with the McLaughlin technique. The series included 145 patients, 72 operated by the Ender method, and 73 by the McLaughlin method. There were no differences between the two groups as regards anaesthesia time, operation time, mean stay in hospital, morbidity and mortality. Technical problems were encountered in 40 of the Ender operated fractures (56 per cent), whereas the figure for the patients treated with the McLaughlin method was 17 (23 per cent). Ten (14 per cent) patients in the Ender group but only 2 (3 per cent) in the McLaughlin group needed re-operation. Three deep infections occurred in the McLaughlin group, but non in the Ender group. It was concluded that the only advantage which could be demonstrated in the Ender group was a low infection rate. Many disadvantages were revealed, the most outstanding being the many technical problems encountered and the great number of re-operations required.