Femoral Neck Fracture

Femoral Neck Fracture

What is Femoral Neck Fracture?

The femoral neck is the most common location for a hip fracture. Your hip is a ball and socket joint where your upper leg meets your pelvis. At the top of your femur (which is your thigh bone) is the femoral head. This is the “ball” that sits in the socket. Just below the femoral head is the femoral neck.

Femoral neck fractures are intracapsular fractures. The capsule is the area that contains the fluid that lubricates and nourishes the hip joint. Fractures in this area are categorized based on the location of the fracture along the femoral neck:

. Subcapital is the femoral head and neck junction

. Transcervical is the mid portion of femoral neck

. Basicervical is the base of femoral neck

Though anyone can fracture their femoral neck, it’s considerably more common in elderly adults who have poor bone density. More than 90 percent of these fractures occur in people older than 50. They are more common in women.

A femoral neck fracture can tear the blood vessels and cut off the blood supply to the femoral head. If the blood supply to the femoral head is lost, the bone tissue will die (a process called avascular necrosis), leading to the eventual collapse of the bone. Fractures that occur in places where the blood supply is not disrupted have a better chance of healing.

Femoral neck fractures and peritrochanteric fractures are equally prevalent and make up over 90 percent of proximal femur fractures.

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About Iranian Surgery

Iranian surgery is an online medical tourism platform where you can find the best orthopedic Surgeons in Iran. The price of Femoral Neck Fracture treatment in Iran can vary according to each individual’s case and will be determined based on type of surgery used to treat femoral neck fractures and an in-person assessment with the doctor. So if you are looking for the cost of Femoral Neck Fracture treatment in Iran, you can contact us and get free consultation from Iranian surgery.

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Before Femoral Neck Fracture

Femoral neck fracture symptoms

The most common symptom of a femoral neck fracture is pain in the groin that gets worse when you put weight on the hip or try to rotate the hip. If your bone is weakened by osteoporosis, cancer, or another medical condition, you might experience groin pain leading up to the time of the fracture.

With a femoral neck fracture, your leg may appear shorter than your uninjured leg, or your leg may be externally rotated with your foot and knee turned outward.

Femoral neck stress fracture causes

Trauma is the most common cause of femoral neck fractures. Being over the age of 50 or having a medical condition that weakens your bones, such as osteoporosis, increases your risk of a fracture in the femoral neck. Having bone cancer is also a risk factor.

Falls are the most common cause of femoral neck fractures in older adults. In younger people, these fractures most often result from high-energy trauma, such as a vehicle collision or fall from a great height.

Femoral neck fractures are rare in children. Along with high-energy trauma, they can also be caused by low bone mineral density, such as osteopenia or osteoporosis, or by other conditions like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing a hip fracture

A doctor can usually determine if you have a hip fracture based on the position of your hip and leg, along with your symptoms. After a physical examination, your doctor will use an X-ray to confirm you have a fracture and determine which part of the hip is affected.

Small hairline fractures or incomplete fractures may not show up on an X-ray. If your fracture can’t be seen in the images and you still have symptoms, your doctor may recommend a CT scan, or an MRI or bone scan for a more detailed look.

Complications

A hip fracture can reduce your independence and sometimes shorten your life. About half the people who have a hip fractures aren't able to regain the ability to live independently.

If a hip fracture keeps you immobile for a long time, the complications can include:

. Blood clots in your legs or lungs

. Bedsores

. Urinary tract infections

. Pneumonia

. Further loss of muscle mass, increasing your risk of falls and injuries

. Death

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Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices in early adulthood build a higher peak bone mass and reduce your risk of osteoporosis in later years. The same measures adopted at any age might lower your risk of falls and improve your overall health.

To avoid falls and to maintain healthy bone:

. Get enough calcium and vitamin D. As a general rule, men and women age 50 and older should consume 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day, and 600 international units of vitamin D a day.

. Exercise to strengthen bones and improve balance. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, help you maintain peak bone density. Exercise also increases your overall strength, making you less likely to fall. Balance training also is important to reduce your risk of falls, since balance tends to deteriorate with age.

. Avoid smoking or excessive drinking. Tobacco and alcohol use can reduce bone density. Drinking too much alcohol can also impair your balance and make you more likely to fall.

. Assess your home for hazards. Remove throw rugs, keep electrical cords against the wall, and clear excess furniture and anything else that could trip you. Make sure every room and passageway is well lit.

. Check your eyes. Have an eye exam every other year, or more often if you have diabetes or an eye disease.

. Watch your medications. Feeling weak and dizzy, which are possible side effects of many medications, can increase your risk of falling. Talk to your doctor about side effects caused by your medications.

. Stand up slowly. Getting up too quickly can cause your blood pressure to drop and make you feel wobbly.

. Use a cane, walking stick or walker. If you don't feel steady when you walk, ask your doctor or occupational therapist whether these aids might help.

During Femoral Neck Fracture

Treatment

Treating a femoral neck fracture

Treatment of femoral neck fractures usually involves surgery, medication, and rehabilitation.

Pain medication provides short-term relief from pain. This may include over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or prescription drugs, such as opioids.

Your doctor may prescribe bisphosphonates and other osteoporosis medications to help reduce your risk of another hip fracture, depending on your age. These medications help strengthen your bones by increasing your bone density.

Emergency surgery is usually recommended for hip fractures to relieve pain and restore mobility as soon as possible. There are different types of surgery used to treat femoral neck fractures. The type of surgery required will depend on the severity of your fracture, your age, and underlying medical conditions.

Whether your fracture has caused damage to the blood supply to your femoral head will also help determine which type of surgery will be needed.

. Internal fixation

Internal fixation uses metal pins or screws to hold your bone together so the fracture can heal. The pins or screws are inserted into your bone, or the screws may be attached to a metal plate that runs along your femur.

. Partial hip replacement

This procedure is used if the end of the bones is damaged or displaced. It involves removing the head and neck of the femur and replacing it with a metal prosthesis.

Partial hip replacement may also be recommended for adults with other serious medical conditions, rather than a total hip replacement.

. Total hip replacement

Total hip replacement involves replacing your upper femur and socket with a prosthesis. Based on research, this type of surgery has the best long-term outcomes in otherwise healthy people who live independently. It’s also the most cost-effective because it often eliminates the need for more surgery later on.

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After Femoral Neck Fracture

Femoral neck fracture recovery time

How long it takes you to recover from a femoral neck fracture will depend on the severity of your fracture, your overall state of health, and the type of surgery used. Recovery varies from person to person.

Rehabilitation will be required once you’re discharged from the hospital. Depending on your age and condition, you may be sent home or to a rehabilitation facility.

You’ll need physical therapy to help you regain your strength and ability to walk. This can take up to three months. Most people who have hip surgery to repair a fracture regain most, if not all of their mobility following treatment.