TREATMENT OF FEMORAL-NECK FRACTURES AT THE KANTONSSPITAL-LIESTAL IN SWITZERLAND

The mode of treatment for femoral neck fractures at the Kantonsspital Liestal depends on age primarily. Patients over 70 years of age are tr eated with a unipolar endoprosthesis. Screws are being used in cases o f medial femoral neck fractures, DHS in cases of lateral fractures. To tal hip arthroplasty is only indicated in patients with evident osteoa rthritis. 78 femoral neck fractures were seen in a 3-year-period. 50 e ndoprostheses were used in 49 patients. The mean age at time of surger y was 80 years. 70% of the patients have died at a mean survival time of 2 1/4 years. 13 out of a total of 14 surviving patients were invest igated. The follow-up of 10 surviving patients reveals radiographicall y a mild protrusion in one case only. Clinically all 13 surviving pati ents are not compromised by the endoprosthesis after 5 years. We consi der the implantation of a unipolar endoprosthesis in patients with fem oral neck fractures at age over 70 years the treatment of choice. Ther e is an acceptably low risk for protrusion as a late complication in r egard to a reduced life expectancy.