Treatment of Unstable 31.A2 and 31.A3 Trochanteric Fractures. Randomised Comparison of the Proximal Femoral Nail PFN-A Short and the PFN-A Long.

1. Introduction: Controversy exists with regard to whether to treat AO/OTA (Orthopaedic Trauma Association) 32.A2 - 32-A3 fractures of the proximal part of the femur with an intramedullary short PFN-A or long PFN-A. A prospective, randomized, controlled trial is performed to compare the outcome treatment of these unstable fractures of the proximal part of the femur with either a short PFN-A (170-240mm) or long PFN-A (300-420mm). 2. Objectives and Hypothesis The hypothesis is that the Short PFN-A would have fewer complications than Long PFN-A Main Objective: Is defined as Total number of complications between PFN-A short and PFN-A long. Outcome measures were subdivided into preoperative, perioperative and post-operative. Follow up data at four weeks, three months and one year. Secondary objectives: Complete and uneventful radiological and clinical healing of the fracture. Revision operations (related to the failure of primary treatment) and mortality. Baseline characteristics were documented pre-operatively: Outcome measures were subdivided into intra-operative, post-operative and follow up data at four weeks, three months and one year. 3. Methodology: One hundred and eighty eight patients presenting with an AO/OTA 31-A2 and 31-A3 fracture of the proximal part of the femur will be randomized, at the time of the admission, to fixation with use either a short PFN-A or a long PFN-A.