Femoral neck fractures in young adults

Abstract

In 17 patients with femoral neck fractures who were between 15 and 40 years old the incidence of aseptic necrosis in patients followed more than 2 years was 18.7 per cent. The fracture was associated with other severe injuries in 40 per cent of the cases, probably reflecting the level of violence necessary to induce the fracture in young adults. Two of the 7 fractures treated with large-bore internal fixatives required secondary procedures to correct fracture displacement (this was not a complication with threaded devices). While the incidence of aseptic necrosis is no higher than that in other adult series, subsequent degenerative changes may supervene in many femoral neck fractures in this age group.