Insufficiency fractures of the femoral neck in association with chronic renal failure.

The femoral neck is a relatively uncommon location for stress fractures. As with other stress fractures, those occurring in the femoral neck can be divided into fatigue and insufficiency fractures. Chronic renal failure (CRF) is an underlying condition that can predispose patients to insufficiency fractures of the femoral neck. We report 12 such fractures occurring in eight patients with CRF; half had bilateral fractures. In addition, 50% of the fractures were of the tensile (transverse) type, which may progress to complete fracture.