[Revision: guiding principles for successful or unsuccessful stabilization of subtrochanteric femoral neck fractures. A review].

Over a long period of time the dislocated and unstable fracture of the femoral neck has been called "the unsolved fracture". Regardless of all technical improvement developed the head- and joint preserving treatment of this fracture seemed to remain an "unsolvable" problem. Fundamental reason for this discrediting judgement was the continuously high rate of complications like segmental collapse of the femoral head and pseudarthrosis of the femoral neck. The invention and speedy acceptance of hip joint replacement made many surgeons hope that the "unsolved" problems of treating femoral neck fractures could be guided to a definite conclusion. This revising discussion is done to bring home being familiar with the experience gained by practising the head- and joint preserving surgery of femoral fractures.