Management of gamma nail breakage with bipolar hemi-arthroplasty
Wee, J.L.H.; Sathappan, S.S.; Yeo, M.S.W.; Low, Y.P.
Singapore Medical Journal 50(1): e44-e47
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-5675 PMID: 19224071 Document Number: 633576
Gamma nail breakage is an uncommon occurrence that often arises from fatigue failure of the implant, with a reported incidence ranging from 0.2 to 5.7 percent. We report a 73-year-old woman with a three-part intertrochanteric fracture and who presented two years postoperatively with gamma nail failure secondary to fracture non-union. This patient underwent a revision long-stem bipolar hemi-arthroplasty and has been followed-up for 24 months, with good functional and radiological results.