PurposeWe aimed to evaluate and compare the clinical and functional outcomes of dynamic hip screw (DHS) and proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) treatment of AO type 1 intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients.Materials and MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 194 consecutive patients with type A1 intertrochanteric femoral fractures who were treated with DHS (n=113) or PFNA (n=81). We evaluated operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and functional outcomes, walking ability, and the Barthel activities index. Fracture union, sliding of hip screw, proximal femur shortening, and presence of complications were assessed radiologically at relevant follow-up intervals.ResultsThe mean operation time and blood loss were significantly lower for the PFNA group, but walking ability and Barthel index decreased to a similar extent for both groups. However, patients in the DHS group complained of significantly more pain (P=0.049). Although there were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to the time until fracture union was achieved, patients in the DHS group exhibited a higher extent of proximal femoral shortening and sliding of the hip screw. Differences about hip screw sliding and proximal femur shortening within each subgroup were not significant.ConclusionCompared to DHS treatment, PFNA treatment of type A1 intertrochanteric fractures is associated with reduced blood loss, shorter operation time, and less severe pain after surgery. Additionally, sliding of the hip screw and proximal femur shortening are expected to occur more frequently after DHS.

Following the implementation of a long-term care insurance system for the elderly in Korea, many nursing homes have been established and many more patients than ever before have been living at nursing homes. Despite the fact that this is a high-risk group vulnerable to hip fractures, no study has yet been conducted in Korea on hip fracture incidence rates and prognoses among patients residing at nursing homes. We recently studied 46 cases of hip fracture in nursing homes; more specifically, we investigated the most common conditions under which fractures occur, and examined the degree of recovery of ambulatory ability and the mortality within 1 yr. Among those who had survived after 1 yr, the number of non-functional ambulators increased from 8 hips before hip fracture to 19 hips at final post-fracture follow-up. These individuals showed poor recovery of ambulatory ability, and the number who died within one year was 11 (23.9%), a rate not significantly different from that among community-dwelling individuals. It was evident that hip-joint-fracture nursing home residents survived for similar periods of time as did those dwelling in the community, though under much more uncomfortable conditions. The main highlight of this report is that it is the first from Korea on nursing home residents' ambulatory recovery and one-year mortality after hip fracture. The authors believe that, beginning with the present study, the government should collect and evaluate the number of hips fractured at nursing facilities in order to formulate criteria that will help to enable all patients to select safer and better-quality nursing facilities for themselves or their family members.

A 81-year-old female presented with a giant cutaneous horn (1.5×2×4 cm sized) over the right hand, rapid growth recent 6 months. Cutaneous horn was excised and split thickness skin graft of the defect was done under regional anesthesia. Histopathology showed overlying a wart. In the current study, we report the case of a patient with giant wart as a giant cutaneous horn in a dorsal side of hand.