• B P Bertelink, J W Stapert, and P A Vierhout.
• Afd. Heelkunde, Enschede, Medisch Spectrum Twente.
• Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 1993 Jan 9; 137 (2): 81-5.

AbstractFemoral neck fractures are common in the elderly, especially in female patients. Pseudarthrosis and femoral head necrosis were complications with a high incidence in earlier days, when the femoral neck fracture was treated by obsolete osteosynthesis techniques. Replacement of the femoral head by an endoprosthesis was introduced in the seventies because of these complications. This hemiarthroplasty also causes many postoperative complications. With the development of the dynamic hip screw for trochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures a new technique for stabilising femoral neck fractures has been introduced. In a retrospective study (average follow-up: 3.4 years; 3 months-6 years; median: 3.6 years) of 51 patients with a femoral neck fracture who were treated with a DHS the short- and long-term postoperative complications (femoral head necrosis and pseudarthrosis) were determined. The most frequent short-term complications were bleeding (10 patients), the need for blood transfusion (10), decubitus (6), wound infection (5), urinary tract infection (5). Femoral head necrosis was seen in two patients more than 30 days after the operation. Pseudarthrosis was not observed. Because of the low complication rate, we can conclude that DHS osteosynthesis, on a correct indication, can be used as first choice in femoral neck fractures.

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