Femoral nailing through the trochanter: the reamer pathway indicates a helical nail shape.

Objectives: This biomechanical study captured the reamer pathway in human femurs reamed through a greater trochanteric entry portal. The spatial pathway of the reamed intramedullary canal was analyzed to determine how closely a helix can match the dimensions of this canal.

Methods: Twenty-one human cadaveric femurs were reamed through a trochanteric entry portal 12 mm lateral to the superior trochanteric border.