The goal of this interventional randomized controlled trial is to compare the clinical outcomes in treating extremities pathological fractures (fractures of limbs caused by metastatic tumors) or impending pathological fractures with short or long intramedullary nails. The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. What is the rate of developing new distant metastasis of the operated extremities? 2. Does treating extremities (impending) pathological fractures with long intramedullary nails have lower or similar reoperation rate than the short nails? 3. Are there any differences when comparing the surgical-related complication, functional outcomes and life quality assessment between treating extremities (impending) pathological fractures with long or short intramedullary nails.
Participants who meet surgical indication will be randomized into either the long or short intramedullary nail group after informed consent. The patient will receive bone fixation with the corresponding prosthesis.
Femur (impending) pathological fracture that is suitable for intramedullary nail fixation as determined by the physician
Patient is willing to participate in this clinical trial and cooperate with follow-up
The patient has a more appropriate treatment alternative to single intramedullary nail fixation as determined by the multidisciplinary decision, such as,
The metastatic lesions involved the femur head
The metastatic lesions involved the pelvis
The metastatic lesions compromised the greater or lesser trochanter to a certain extent that arthroplasty was indicated
National Taiwan University Hospital
Lead sponsor
National Taiwan University Hospital, Yun-Lin Branch
Collaborator
National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch
Collaborator