Short and long nails exhibited similar treatment failure rates when contemporary cephalomedullary implants were used, according to study results.
Among the 559 patients reviewed, the researchers found a treatment failure incidence of 5.4%, of which 5.9% occurred after placement of a short nail compared with 5% after placement of a long nail.
Of the 2% of patients who sustained a periprosthetic fracture after nailing, 2.7% experienced periprosthetic fractures after short nails and 1.5% after long nails.
According to the researchers, major reoperations requiring removal of nail occurred in 3.2% of cases after short nails and 3.5% after long nails. Reasons for revision included screw/helical blade cutout, progressive arthritis with conversation to arthroplasty, avascular necrosis of femoral head with conversion to arthroplasty and symptomatic leg-length discrepancy with conversion to arthroplasty.
Study results showed 25% of patients died within 1 year after index surgery.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures
