Percutaneous dynamic hip screw.

We present the results of a technique of dynamic hip screw insertion through a very small incision, typically 2-2.5 cm. The technique is performed using a standard dynamic hip screw set and requires no additional equipment. We compared the results to those of an age and sex-matched group who had undergone the operation through a traditional approach. We compared the time spent in theatre, the pre- and post-operative haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit and prevalence of wound infection. Thirteen consecutive cases were performed by one surgeon using the percutaneous technique. There were nine females and four males with a mean age of 84 years (range 62-96 years). Each had a 135 degrees four-hole plate. The mean post-operative drop in haemoglobin concentration in the percutaneous group was 2.2 g/dl (range 0-4.4 g/dl) compared to 3.5 g/dl (range 1.2-5.4 g/dl) in the control group (p = 0.014). The mean haematocrit drop was 0.07 (range 0-0.12) in the percutaneous group compared to 0.10 (range 0.03-0.17) in the control group (p = 0.017). The mean theatre time with the percutaneous technique was 57 min (range 40-75 min) and in the control group, 60 min (range 30-95 min). There were no wound problems. It is likely that this minimally invasive technique offers a better clinical outcome at no extra expense and warrants further evaluation in a larger study.