In our group of patients, secondary displacement was frequent and unpredictable.

The results of meta-analysis show a revision rate of 33% for internal fixation of displaced fractures of the femoral neck, mostly because of nonunion. Osteopenia and osteoporosis are highly prevalent in elderly patients. Bone density has been shown to correlate with the intrinsic stability of the fixation of the fracture in cadaver and retrospective studies. We aimed to confirm or refute this finding in a clinical setting. We performed a prospective, multicentre study of 111 active patients over 60 years of age with a displaced fracture of the femoral neck which was eligible for internal fixation. The bone density of the femoral neck was measured pre-operatively by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The patients were divided into two groups namely, those with osteopenia (66%, mean T-score -1.6) and those with osteoporosis (34%, mean T-score -3.0). Age (p = 0.47), gender (p = 0.67), delay to surgery (p = 0.07), the angle of the fracture (p = 0.33) and the type of implant (p = 0.48) were similar in both groups. Revision to arthroplasty was performed in 41% of osteopenic and 42% of osteoporotic patients (p = 0.87). Morbidity (p = 0.60) and mortality were similar in both groups (p = 0.65). Our findings show that the clinical outcome of internal fixation for displaced fractures of the femoral neck does not depend on bone density and that pre-operative DEXA is not useful.

No abstract

In 1993 a prospective data collection of all femoral fracture in children below 16 years of age was initiated in 4 hospitals in the Netherlands. Follow-up was at least two years, with the aim to evaluate leg length discrepancies (LLD). Over a period of 10 years, we included 136 patients < 16 years of age with femoral fractures. Seventy-one patients who were treated with an ESIF-(Elastic Stable Intramedullary Fixation) nail were studied: 44 boys and 27 girls, between the ages of 3-16 years, 23 of which had multiple injuries. Five patients had a Ist or IInd degree open fracture. The average length of stay (LOS) of children with an isolated fracture, was 10 days, and in case of multiple injuries: 12 days. Intra-operative complications were: a broken drill in 2 and an open reduction in 6 cases. Two patients with superficial wound infection were successfully treated with antibiotics. Seven patients had knee complaints of the nails, of which 3 had actually been displaced. Three other patients showed displacement of the nails at X-ray, but had no complaints. At six months follow-up, at the time of removal of the nails, 10 patients had a leg length discrepancy (LLD) exceeding 10 mm. Three children had a clinically significant rotational deformity at this time. Two and a half years after injury 6 patients showed a persistent LLD of more than 10 mm. In all 6 the fractured limb was longer. At ten years of follow-up the LLD persisted in 5 patients. One patient had a persistent clinically significant rotational deformity of more than 10 degrees . The advantages of ESIF-nails are: reduction of hospital stay and rapid mobilisation. The disadvantages: two operations (for insertion and removal) with a risk of complication. Long-term follow-up, preferably till growth stops, is necessary to conclude whether persistent lengthening of the fractured limb remains a problem.

The rate of fracture healing after DLBP fixation of displaced femoral neck fracture in young patients is promising and warrants further investigation by a randomized trial to compare the performance against other contemporary methods of fixation. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:443-9.