Delayed Profunda Femoris Artery Bleeding After Intramedullary Nailing of an Unstable Intertrochanteric Fracture: A Case Report.

Case: A 75-year-old man underwent intramedullary nailing for an unstable intertrochanteric fracture of the left hip. After surgery and postoperative recovery, he was transferred to a rehabilitation ward. He was able to mobilize at 2 days postoperatively; at 2 weeks postoperatively, he developed the sudden onset of tachycardia, hypotension, and a large hematoma on the left thigh. Following immediate resuscitation, a computed tomography (CT) angiogram demonstrated a bleed from a branch of the profunda femoris artery. The 3-dimensional CT reconstruction implicated the displaced lesser trochanter osseous fragment as the cause of the hemorrhage.
Conclusion: Surgeons should be aware of this rare complication and the possible etiology of fracture displacement as the cause of a delayed-onset bleed after intramedullary nailing, and they should also be cognizant of the subsequent optimal management.