Objective  To observe the effect of internal fixation with proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) in the treatment of elderly patients with femoral intertrochanteric fracture.

  Methods  A total of 134 patients with femoral intertrochanteric fracture were selected and randomly divided into observation group (66 cases, treated with internal fixation with PFNA) and control group 68 cases, treated with proximal femoral locking plate (PFLP). The perioperative indexes, score of joint function (Harris score), score of activities of daily living (ADL), rehabilitation indexes and complications were compared between the two groups.

  Results  The perioperative indexes of the observation group were significantly better than those of the control group (P < 0.05); the Harris scores at 1 month and 2 months after operation in the observation group were significantly better than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the ADL scores at 1 month, 2 month and 3 months after operation in the observation group were significantly better than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The hospital stay and time to bed-off activity in the observation group were significantly shorter than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the fracture healing time in the observation group was slightly shorter than that in the control group (P>0.05). The total incidence of complications in the observation group was 6.06%, which was significantly lower than 20.59% in the control group (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Both PFNA and PFLP can effectively treat the elderly patients with femoral intertrochanteric fracture, but the internal fixation with PFNA is better than the internal fixation with PFLP in comprehensive efficacy, and physiological function of joint recovers faster in the early stage after internal fixation with PFNA.