Treatment for ipsilateral fractures of the femoral neck and shaft

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the curative effect of different internal fixation for ipsilateral fractures of the femoral neck and shaft. METHODS: By retrospective study of 27 patients who sustained ipsilateral femoral shaft and neck fractures from June 1993 to March 2004. There were 22 male and 5 female, with an average age of 35 years (range in 14 to 65 years). The femoral neck and shaft fractures were stabilized with dynamic hip screw system (DHS) in 3 cases,with dynamic compression plate and cannulated lag screw in 12 cases, with constructive nail in 8 cases, with antegrade intramedullary locking nail and cannulated lag screw in 4 cases. There were 13 cases used of the temporary fixation of Kirschner wire before the pexia of the femoral neck fractures. RESULTS: All of the patients were followed up for 36 to 75 months, with an average of 44 months. The average healing period of femoral neck fracture was 4.5 months in 25 cases, nonunion of femoral neck fractures in 2. The average healing period of femoral shaft fracture was 6 months in 27 cases. In 14 cases that not using temporary fixation of femoral neck with Kirschner wire, there were nonunion of femoral neck in 2 and slight coxa vara in 3. CONCLUSION: There are a wide choice of internal fixation method for treatment of ipsilateral fracture of the femoral neck and shaft, the fixation with dynamic compression plate and cannulated lag screw is a handy method. It would be avoided to the replacement and trauma, emporary fixing the fracture with Kirschner wire before the pexia of the femoral neck fracture.