Anatomy of the greater femoral trochanter: clinical importance for intramedullary femoral nailing. Anatomic study of 100 cadaver specimens.

Background: Fossa piriformis is considered the correct point of entry for a straight femoral nail. A trochanteric overhang may make the access to fossa piriformis difficult. We investigated the anatomy of the trochanteric region, paying special attention to the entry point for antegrade intramedullary femoral nailing.

Methods And Results: We studied 100 cadaver specimens. In 63 specimens a shape with a free entry point was found, whereas in 37 cases the entry point was either half or fully covered. In 9 specimens the entry points could not be exactly located from a cranial aspect.

Interpretation: The anatomic variations of the trochanteric sometimes make it difficult to identify the correct entry point for an intramedullary nail.