It is not always essential to use a mechanical device for nailing intetrochanteric fractures and fractures of the neck of the femur, but with such a method the nail may be placed in the desired position with certainty.
This device eliminates the need for fluoroscopy, which is not universally available nor entirely without risk. The results are frequently too indistinct to be of much help in large or obese patients, and biplane observation is not possible.
This guide helps climinate improper placing of the nail at the time of operation, and reduces the time required for nailing the hip. It also reduces the cost for film, because fewer exposures are required, and it saves time for the roentgenologist.
By introducing only one guide wire, operative traumma at the site of injury is minimal.
The guide remains in a fixed position after it has been applied.