[Selective arteriography in fractures of the femur head]

The choice between conservative and radical operation in case of femoral neck fractures is very important because it is the determining factor for a successful therapy. In case of epiphysial necrosis, an endoprosthesis as well as an osteosynthesis will be carried out. Selective arteriography of the medial circumflex artery represents the most reliable study to establish, immediately after the fracture, the possible presence of a post-traumatic ischemic necrosis. Angiography, as a reliable diagnostic tool, has to be carried out in the most selective way and needs the image subtraction technique. The authors report their preliminary results on the reliability of angiography in the femoral epiphyseal ischemic necrosis diagnosed by comparing the results of angiography with the Wood light test carried out on the surgically removed femoral head.