Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate the prognostic variables that influence the incidence of complication such as avascular necrosis of femoral head, nonunion of neck after the treatment of ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fracture by the results and long term follow up.
Material and Methods
We studied the 18 cases of 17 patients that could be follow up over 2 years among the patients received the treatment of ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fracture from 1987 to 1998. The average follow up duration was 54.3 months (24-120) and all patients was men. The average age was 38.2 yrs(20-60). Fifteen cases of femoral neck fracture were treated with multiple pinning and 3 cases with the compression hip screw, 12 cases of femoral shaft fracture were treated with DCP, 5 cases by interlocking IM nailing and 1 case, open fracture, by external fixator. We evaluated the bone union and complication such as avascular necrosis of femoral head and nonunion.
Results
For femoral neck fracture, resection arthroplasty was performed in 1 case and nonunion in 1 case. Bone union was obtained at average 4 months in 16 cases of femoral neck fracture, at 9 months in all cases of shaft fracture. The avascular necrosis of femoral head in 5 cases included 1 case of nonunion was found at minimal 20 months to maximal 59 months follows up.
Discussion
All prognostic variables of the ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fracture, that is the Garden stage, Pauwels classification, delayed time to operation. had no statistical correlation with complication. Whenever possible the patients should be followed for a minimum 5 years to rule out avascular necrosis of femoral head.