The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Vol 66, Issue 6 837-846, Copyright © 1984 by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc
Fractures of the femoral neck in patients between the ages of twelve and forty-nine years
MF Swiontkowski, RA Winquist and ST Hansen
Femoral neck fractures in young adults have a poor prognosis because the
incidence of non-union and aseptic necrosis is high. We reviewed the
results in twenty-seven consecutive patients with a femoral neck fracture
who were younger than fifty years and who were treated with a standard
protocol at Harborview Medical Center from 1975 to 1981. There were
twenty-two male and five female patients, and they ranged in age from
twelve to forty-nine years (mean, 32.4 years). Twenty patients were
involved in high-velocity trauma and twelve of them had significant
injuries to other organ systems. One of the remaining seven patients had
sustained the fracture while running, and in the other six the fracture was
associated with a metabolic disorder. Eight patients had a Garden Stage-II
fracture; twelve, Stage-III; and seven, Stage-IV. The fractures were fixed
with multiple 6.5-millimeter cancellous screws after adequate closed
reduction, which was usually performed within eight hours after injury. All
of the fractures united and there were no wound infections. Aseptic
necrosis of the femoral head developed in five patients (20 per cent),
three of whom had symptoms at the time of writing and will require surgical
revision of the hip.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Technorati What's this?
