Treatment of Ipsilateral Fractures of the Femoral Neck and Shaft

Kwon, Chil Soo; Ahn, Jong Kuk; Kim, Jin Hyok; Sung, Yerl Bo; Hwang, Seon Young

Abstract

Ipsilateral fractures of the femoral neck and shaft represent many difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. The femoral neck fracture of this injury is commonly missed on initial evaluation. The overlooked femoral neck fracture may lead to higher risk of complications such as avascular necrosis of the femoral head, nonunion and coax vara. The authors reviewed nine cases of ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fracture treated in our clinic from September 1989 to May 1995, and average follow-up period was 33 months(range, 12 to 101 months). The results obtained were as follows : 1. The most common cause of injury was traffic accident, and three femoral neck fractures were missed initially. 2. The most common site of femoral neck fractures was basicervical in 7 cases, and that of shaft fracture was middle 1/3 shaft in 5 cases. 3. The most common associated injury was ipsilateral knee injury(6 cases). 4. Five cases were treated with femoral reconstruction nail, two with multiple neck-pinning and retrograde interlocking IM nail, one with multiple screws for neck fracture and long dynamic compression plate for shaft fracture, and the other, multiple neck-pinning and antegrade interlocking IM nail. 5. The complications were a refracture of the shaft after removal of interlocking nail and a delayed union of shaft fracture which had been treated by reconstruction nailing. Coxa vara, delayed union and metal loosening were found in femoral neck fracture site, but all that were clinically acceptable. In conclusion, the fracture of femoral neck should be kept in mind not to be lost in case of high velocity-femoral shaft fracture, and if found, it should be treated with anatomical and rigid internal fixation in femoral neck fracture having first priority. Recently reconstruction nail for the treatment of these fractures was widely used, but that is technically difficult and might destroy the neck fracture during shaft fracture fixation. We recommend retrograde interlocking nail followed by multiple neckpinning might be safe and stable fixation for the ipsilateral neck and shaft fracture.