Dynamic hip screw and fibular strut graft for fixation of fresh femoral neck fracture with posterior comminution.

INTRODUCTION

Posterior comminution of the femoral neck fracture is a major cause of delayed and non-union owing to the loss of the buttressing effect against the posterior rotation. When a femoral neck fracture with posterior comminution is anatomically reduced, only the anterior portions of the femoral neck fracture surfaces are brought into contact leaving a posterior defect. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of fibular strut grafting and dynamic hip screw (DHS) for fresh femoral neck fractures with posterior comminution in young patient less than 50 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between October 2012 and March 2016, 35 patients aged 20-50 years, 30 men and 5 women underwent fixation using DHS and fibular strut grafts for Garden grades III (25 patients) and IV (10 patients) femoral neck fractures with posterior comminution. All fractures were reduced by closed methods, and no hip was aspirated. Clinical and radiological outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS

All patients were in the age group of 20-50 years (mean 37 years). The mean delay in presentation after injury was 1 day. The mean final follow-up for these 35 patients was 27.2 months. Healing of the femoral neck was attained in 34 cases, with an average time to union of 4.8 months (range 4-8 months). One patient underwent arthroplasty due to failure of fixation. According to the Harris hip score, outcome was good to excellent in 30 patients, fair in 4, and poor in 1.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, only one patient developed non-union and no patients had avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Closed reduction, fibular strut grafts, and DHS fixation is a reliable procedure for femoral neck fractures with posterior comminution in young adults.