Treatment of undisplaced subcapital fractures

A total of 157 patients with undisplaced subcapital fractures was studied with reference to outcome depending on the method of treatment; 135 were treated surgically and 22 were treated conservatively. The main complication of treatment was non-union, with an overall incidence of 5.7%. Conservative treatment resulted in an incidence of non-union which was approximately twice that of patients who were treated surgically. Patients treated surgically, however, had significant postoperative complications in 14.8% of cases. Although conservative treatment has an increased incidence of non-union, it is a safe method of treatment and we feel it still has a place in selected patients.