Expert tibia nail for subtrochanteric femoral fracture to prevent thermal injury

• Expert tibia nail can be one of the treatment options for subtrochanteric femoral fracture with narrow medullary can.
• With expert tibia nail, greater trochanter can be used as an entry point and locking screw can be inserted into the femoral head.
• Preoperative evaluation of the medullary canal size for these risky fractures is important.

IntroductionSubtrochanteric femoral fractures are relatively uncommon, accounting for 7–15% of all hip fractures and treatment of these fractures are considered challenge for orthopaedic surgeons. Although several treatment options are reported with up to 90% of satisfactory results, the choice of the appropriate implant is still a matter of debate. Some authors reported thermal injury after reaming for intramedullary nail fixation in patients with narrow medullary canal.Presentation of caseA 21-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital because of right subtrochanteric femoral fracture. The narrowest diameter of medullary canal of her femur was about 7 mm but she refused open reduction and internal fixation with plate due to large scar formation. We used expert tibia nail instead of femoral intramedullary nail to prevent thermal injury.DiscussionSubtrochanteric femoral fractures are difficult to treat because of their biomechanical and anatomical characteristics. Although several implants are reported for the surgical treatment of these fractures, intramedullary nails have been advocated due to their biological and biomechanical advantages. However, under certain circumstances with associated injury or anatomic difference we might consider another treatment options.ConclusionExpert tibia nail may be considered one of the treatment options for subtrochanteric femoral fracture with narrow medullary canal. We also emphasize the importance of preoperative evaluation of the medullary canal size for these risky fractures.