Management of Acute Hip Fracture

Abstract

Copyright © 2017 Massachusetts Medical Society. A 65-year-old woman who has been healthy and active presents to the emergency department several hours after a slip and fall. She is unable bear any weight on her right leg and reports that she has pain with any attempt to move. On inspection, her right leg is shortened and externally rotated. A plain radiograph of her pelvis and hip confirms a nondisplaced fracture of the femoral neck. Careful review of the radiograph determines that her fracture is located at the base of the femoral neck (sometimes called a basicervical fracture) with a more vertically oriented fracture line. How should her case be managed?