Austin Moore replacement hemiarthroplasty in femoral neck fractures of the elderly.

162 femoral neck fractures were treated with Moore endoprostheses. Primary mortality was eight per cent, and after an average of seven years postoperatively 25 per cent of the patients were alive. Complications were recorded in 22 cases. Nine of the patients underwent a further operation. Thirty-one patients participated in a clinical follow-up study and eight patients answered a subjective questionnaire. Two hips showed excellent, eight good, ten fair and twenty-two hips poor results. The use of hemiendoprosthetic replacement should be reserved for displaced fractures and for patients with a short life expectancy. In cases of even initial osteoarthritis primary total hip arthroplasty should be performed if an endoprosthetic replacement is considered.