Algorithms for the treatment of femoral neck fractures

Worldwide prevalence of femoral neck fractures is increasing, doubling for patients older than 50 years. Age of the patient, prefracture activity level, and associated comorbidities must be considered when determining treatment. It seems that hemiarthroplasty is best suited for an elderly patient who is a household ambulator with low demands on the prosthesis. Younger patients, and those with minimally displaced fractures, should be treated with internal fixation in an attempt to preserve the natural hip. Proximal femur fractures in the pediatric population are associated with high complication rates. Because of vascular vulnerability, avascular necrosis of the femoral head continues to be the most frequent and serious complication after hip trauma in children. Femoral neck fractures in children also differ from those in adults because a child can tolerate immobilization much more readily than can an adult. As healthcare resources become more limited and their use becomes scrutinized more closely, cost-effective treatment algorithms for femoral neck fractures will dictate orthopaedic treatment. For some fractures, closed treatment is evolving toward interventional approaches to minimize late sequelae. With the availability of viable treatment options, the potential risks and benefits of individual treatment modalities as related to each fracture pattern must be reviewed.