BACKGROUND: Locking compression plate and dynamic hip screw are the two major extramedullary fixations for the femoral intertrochanteric fractures, however, the comparison of the clinical efficacy between two methods is still controversial.
OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of locking compression plate versus dynamic hip screw in the treatment of femoral intertrochanteric fractures, and provide a theoretical basis for clinical application.
METHODS: Authors searched for controlled studies on locking compression plate and dynamic hip screw in the treatment of femoral intertrochanteric fractures in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP periodical database, Wanfang resource database, Chinese Biomedical Literature service systems published from January 1999 to April 2014. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were made, and the literature meeting the criteria was screened, and the methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated. Meta-analysis was carried out using the RevMan 5.2 software.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Ultimately 682 patients from 8 studies met the inclusion criteria, including 336 patients in the locking compression plate group and 346 patients in the dynamic hip screw group. Meta-analysis results showed that: there were no statistically significant differences in operating time [MD=-12.07, 95%CI (-29.85, 5.71), P=0.18], peri-operative bleeding loss [MD=-15.01, 95%CI (-87.85, 57.83), P=0.69], post-operation drainage [MD= -13.62, 95%CI (-28.49, 1.26), P=0.07], ambulation time [MD=-0.14, 95%CI (-0.68, 0.41), P=0.63], length of hospitalization [MD=-0.74, 95%CI (-2.29, 0.82), P=0.35], bone union time [MD=-1.18, 95%CI (-2.78, 0.42), P=0.15] between locking compression plate and dynamic hip screw groups. The excellent and good rate of postoperative hip function reduction [OR=2.03, 95%CI (1.23, 3.36), P=0.006] was significantly higher in locking compression plate group than in the dynamic hip screw group. The incidence of coxa vara was lower in the locking compression plate group than in the dynamic hip screw group [OR=0.34, 95%CI (0.12, 0.96), P=0.04]. There were no significant differences in looseness, breakage, withdrawal of internal fixation [OR=1.20, 95%CI (0.59, 2.45), P=0.61] and the incidence of total complications [OR=0.55, 95%CI (0.24, 1.28), P=0.16] between locking compression plate and dynamic hip screw groups. However, the included studies have high possibility of selection bias and measurement bias, and will affect proof strength of results. Therefore, more clinical randomized controlled studies with compact design are needed for verification.