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Only four early years postgraduate surgical training posts in the UK meet nationally approved minimum quality standards. Specific recommendations are made to improve training in this cohort and to bolster recruitment and retention into Higher Surgical Training.

We present a case of an elderly and comorbid patient who was scheduled to undergo a hip fracture fixation using an intramedullary nail. Unfortunately, this was delayed by 3 weeks as the patient was unfit to undergo this procedure. She was placed onto the traction table and intraoperatively sustained a superior and inferior pubic rami fracture while attempting reduction on the traction table. Closed-reduction techniques using traction tables and perineal posts are not without morbidity. Risk factors such as osteoporosis and delayed-fixation should be accounted for when managing this complex and often frail group of patients.

Background Traction tables form the mainstay of closed reduction techniques for lower limb fracture and in particular hip fractures. They offer a versatile solution to continuous traction required in a variety of operations such as closed intramedullary femoral fixation and hip fixation. Counter traction on the table is provided by the perineal post, this has been associated with significant complications such as neuropraxia, erectile dysfunction, cutaneous necrosis, and urethral injuries. Case presentation We present a case of an elderly and co-morbid patient who was scheduled to undergo a hip fracture fixation using an intramedullary nail. Unfortunately, this was delayed by 3 weeks as the patient was unfit to undergo this procedure. She was placed onto the traction table and intra-operatively sustained a superior and inferior pubic rami fracture while attempting reduction on the traction table. Conclusions Closed reduction techniques using traction tables and perineal posts are not without morbidity. Risk factors such as osteoporosis and delayed fixation should be accounted for when managing this complex and often frail group of patients.