[Proximal femur fracture with secondary hyperparathyroidism]

We rarely see trauma patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. We report about a case of a 68-year-old African female with a pertrochanteric femur fracture after a falling accident. As a secondary result we noted a Looser zone (pseudofracture) in the fractured femur. Extended diagnostic work-up including determination of vitamin D metabolites indicated the existence of a secondary hyperparathyroidism. The dark tanned phenotype of the African patient in combination with usually less solar radiation in central Europe seems to be the causative factor for the secondary hyperparathyroidism. Thus, this resulted in reduced cutaneous vitamin D synthesis. The fracture of the proximal femur was stabilized by osteosynthesis with a gamma nail; we thereby bridged the Looser zone.