Femoral Head Fractures

Using an Intraoperative Stress Examination to Direct Treatment in Posterior Femoral Head Fracture-Dislocations

OBJECTIVE

To examine the results of a treatment algorithm incorporating an examination under anesthesia (EUA) performed intraoperatively after fixation of the femoral head through a Smith-Petersen approach to determine the need for posterior wall or capsule repair.

METHODS

DESIGN

Retrospective review.

SETTING

Two Level 1 trauma centers.

PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA

All acute, traumatic femoral head fractures from posterior hip dislocations treated at participating centers over a 5-year period from 2017 to 2022. Injuries were classified according to the Pipkin system.

OUTCOME MEASURES AND COMPARISONS

The primary outcome was the result of intraoperative EUA performed after femoral head fixation to determine the need for Kocher-Langenbeck exposure for posterior wall and/or capsule fixation. The secondary outcomes included rates of avascular necrosis, heterotopic bone formation, late instability, and conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA).

RESULTS

In total, 63 men and 22 women with a mean age of 32.5 (range 18-71) years were studied. Seventy-nine of 85 (92.9%) patients had a stable EUA after fixation of the femoral head through a Smith-Petersen approach. Six (6/85, 7.1%) underwent an additional Kocher-Langenbeck approach for posterior wall or capsule fixation. This included 1 Pipkin I, 1 Pipkin II, and 4 Pipkin IV injuries. Of the Pipkin IV injuries, 51/55 (92.7%) had stable EUA and did not require fixation of their posterior wall. This included seven patients with wall involvement >20%. Five patients were excluded because of planned fixation of their posterior wall based on preoperative imaging. Of patients with at least 6 months follow-up, 16 of 65 (26.4%) developed radiographic evidence of avascular necrosis and 21 of 65 (32.3%) evidence of heterotopic bone formation. Seven out of 65 (10.8%) were converted to THA over the study period. When comparing patients with a single exposure and those with additional KL exposure, it was found that they did not vary in their rate of avascular necrosis (27.1% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.3228), heterotopic ossification formation (30.5% vs. 50.0%, P = 0.3788), or conversion to THA (10.2% vs. 16.7%, P = 0.510).

CONCLUSIONS

This study found residual posterior hip instability after femoral head fixation in patients with and without posterior wall fractures after posterior dislocations. The results of this study support the use of an EUA after femoral head fixation to identify residual posterior hip instability in all femoral head fractures from posterior hip dislocations, regardless of Pipkin type. Use of the Smith-Petersen exposure remains a viable surgical option and may be improved with the incorporation of an EUA after femoral head fixation. For Pipkin IV injuries with posterior wall fractures with indeterminate stability, an EUA accurately identifies residual instability.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Treatment of a femoral neck fracture combined with ipsilateral femoral head and intertrochanteric fractures: A case report

BACKGROUND

This article presents a rare case of a complex hip fracture involving the ipsilateral femoral neck, trochanter, and femoral head, that was accompanied by hip dislocation. Currently, there is no established standard treatment method for this specific type of fracture. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehensively consider factors such as patient age, fracture type, and degree of displacement to achieve a successful outcome.

CASE SUMMARY

A 38-year-old man sustained a comminuted fracture of his right hip as a result of a car accident. The injuries included a fracture of the femoral head, a fracture of the femoral neck, an intertrochanteric fracture of the femur, and a posterior dislocation of the hip on the same side. We opted for a treatment approach combining the use of a proximal femoral locking plate, cannulated screws, and Kirschner wires. Following the surgery, we developed an individualized rehabilitation program to restore patient limb function.

CONCLUSION

For this complex fracture, we selected appropriate internal fixation and formulated individualized rehabilitation, which ultimately achieved good results.

Treatment of a femoral neck fracture combined with ipsilateral femoral head and intertrochanteric fractures: A case report

BACKGROUND

This article presents a rare case of a complex hip fracture involving the ipsilateral femoral neck, trochanter, and femoral head, that was accompanied by hip dislocation. Currently, there is no established standard treatment method for this specific type of fracture. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehensively consider factors such as patient age, fracture type, and degree of displacement to achieve a successful outcome.

CASE SUMMARY

A 38-year-old man sustained a comminuted fracture of his right hip as a result of a car accident. The injuries included a fracture of the femoral head, a fracture of the femoral neck, an intertrochanteric fracture of the femur, and a posterior dislocation of the hip on the same side. We opted for a treatment approach combining the use of a proximal femoral locking plate, cannulated screws, and Kirschner wires. Following the surgery, we developed an individualized rehabilitation program to restore patient limb function.

CONCLUSION

For this complex fracture, we selected appropriate internal fixation and formulated individualized rehabilitation, which ultimately achieved good results.

Management and outcome of patients with femoral head fractures: the mid-term follow-up with injuries and associated prognostic factors

BACKGROUND

Femoral head fractures are rare injuries often associated with poor functional outcomes and complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence, treatment methods and approaches, complications, and functional outcomes of femoral head fractures.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 50 patients who sustained femoral head fractures between January 2011 and December 2018. There were thirty-seven (74%) males and thirteen (26%) females with a median age of 40 years. According to Pipkin's classification, there were eighteen (36%) Pipkin I, ten (20%) Pipkin II, eight (16%) Pipkin III, and fourteen (28%) Pipkin IV patients. Treatment methods were categorized into non-operative, operative by open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), and immediate total hip replacement (THR). The recorded surgical approach consists of an anterior(S-P) approach, posterior(K-L) approach, lateral stab, and combined anterior + lateral stab approach for fixation. The patients were also stratified by the Injury Severity Score (ISS), associated injuries, and, mechanism of injuries. The modified harris hip score (MHHS) was used to evaluate the ongoing complications with the clinical outcome of patients with two years or greater follow-up.

RESULTS

Eight (16%) patients were managed successfully with closed reduction without surgery and thirty-seven (74%) patients required operative reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of the femoral head and acetabulum, and 5 (10%) patients required immediate THR. Six (12%) patients developed AVN, and four (8%) required a secondary THR. Sixteen patients (33%) developed post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA), eight (16%) developed heterotopic ossification (HO) and six patients (12%) had sciatic nerve injury, none requiring operative treatment. Overall functional results according to MHHS were, excellent in two (4%) patients, good in sixteen (32%) patients, fair in twenty-two (44%) patients, and poor in ten (20%) patients. A statistically significant difference in outcome was observed among four pipkin subtypes.

CONCLUSION

Femoral head fractures are rare injuries often associated with poor outcomes. In this study, we report the functional outcomes and complications of all treatment approaches for femoral head fracture based on the Pipkin classification. The treatment aim should always be the anatomical reduction of the fragments. This study, adds to the growing literature on femoral head fracture and provides a reference for the clinical treatment to guide patient management.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Our study was approved by the Clinical Research and Biomedical Ethical Committee of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants provided written informed consent to participate in this study.

Which Surgical Approach Provides Maximum Visualization and Access for Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of Femoral Head Fractures?

OBJECTIVES

Femoral head fracture open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) requires adequate surgical access and visualization. The purpose of this study was to objectively characterize femoral head access associated with commonly used surgical approaches. Our hypothesis was that a surgical hip dislocation (SHD) provides the greatest visualization and access to the femoral head.

METHODS

Ten fresh-frozen cadaveric whole-pelvis specimens (n = 20 hips) were used to compare 4 surgical approaches to the femoral head (n = 5 hips per approach): SHD, Smith-Petersen (with and without rectus release), and Hueter. After surgical exposure, standardized and calibrated digital images were captured and analyzed to determine the percent-area visualized. Three independent investigators assessed each specimen to determine surgical visualization and access to the following femoral head anatomic quadrants: anteromedial, anterolateral, posteromedial, and posterolateral. Data were analyzed for significant (P < 0.05) differences using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher exact tests.

RESULTS

The Hueter approach provided the lowest calculated % visualization. For surgeon visualization, SHD demonstrated a significantly (P < 0.001) higher proportion of visualized anatomic landmarks compared with all other approaches. SHD provided significantly (P < 0.049) more access to the femoral head quadrants compared with all other approaches. The Hueter approach had significantly (P = 0.004) lower surgeon access compared with the Smith-Petersen with release.

CONCLUSIONS

SHD provided superior visualization and access to clinically relevant femoral head anatomy compared with the Smith-Petersen with or without rectus release and Hueter approaches.

Safety and efficacy of surgical hip dislocation in managing femoral head fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Femoral head fractures (FHFs) are considered relatively uncommon injuries; however, open reduction and internal fixation is preferred for most displaced fractures. Several surgical approaches had been utilized with controversial results; surgical hip dislocation (SHD) is among these approaches, with the reputation of being demanding and leading to higher complication rates.

AIM

To determine the efficacy and safety of SHD in managing FHFs by reviewing the results reported in the literature.

METHODS

Major databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify studies reporting on outcomes of SHD utilized as an approach in treating FHFs. We extracted basic studies data, surgery-related data, functional outcomes, radiological outcomes, and postoperative complications. We calculated the mean differences for continuous data with 95% confidence intervals for each outcome and the odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals for binary outcomes. P < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Our search retrieved nine studies meeting our inclusion criteria, with a total of 129 FHFs. The results of our analysis revealed that the average operation time was 123.74 min, while the average blood loss was 491.89 mL. After an average follow-up of 38.4 mo, a satisfactory clinical outcome was achieved in 85% of patients, with 74% obtained anatomical fracture reduction. Overall complication rate ranged from 30% to 86%, with avascular necrosis, heterotopic ossification, and osteoarthritis being the most common complications occurring at an incidence of 12%, 25%, and 16%, respectively. Trochanteric flip osteotomy nonunion and trochanteric bursitis as a unique complication of SHD occurred at an incidence of 3.4% and 3.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The integration of SHD approach for dealing with FHFs offered acceptable functional and radiological outcomes with a wide range of safety in regards to the hip joint vascularity and the development of avascular necrosis, the formation of heterotopic ossification, and the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis; however, it still carries its unique risk of trochanteric flip osteotomy nonunion and persistent lateral thigh pain.

Traumatic Avulsion of Gluteus Tendons Associated With Posterior Fracture-dislocation of the Femoral Head: A Case Report

CASE

We report the case of a patient who suffered traumatic avulsion of the gluteus medius and minimus tendons associated with posterior fracture-dislocation of the femoral head. The patient was treated with open reduction and internal fixation, followed by gluteus tenodesis with intraosseous anchors.

CONCLUSION

Although in isolation, gluteus medius or gluteus minimus tendons tear, hip dislocation, and head fractures are relatively common injuries; the concurrence of these lesions is noteworthy for its rarity. This patient had an uneventful postoperative evolution, with a complete functional recovery, healing of the femoral head fracture and the tendons, and absence of signs of avascular necrosis.

Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of Femoral Head Fractures Associated with Traumatic Hip Dislocations

Background

Femoral head fractures are an uncommon but severe injury. These high-energy injuries typically occur in association with traumatic hip dislocations. Initial treatment includes urgent concentric reduction; however, controversy exists regarding specific fracture management. The well-known complications of avascular necrosis (AVN), posttraumatic arthritis (PTA), and heterotrophic ossification can leave patients with a significant functional loss of their affected hip. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of femoral head fractures.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed at our institution assessing all patients who presented from 2007 to 2015 with a femoral head fracture associated with a hip dislocation and at least 6 months of clinical and radiographic follow-up. Twenty-two patients met our inclusion criteria. There were 15 males and 7 females with an average age of 36 years (range: 17-55). The average follow-up time was 18 months (range: 6-102). Fractures were classified according to the Pipkin classification. The Thompson and Epstein score was used to determine functional outcomes.

Results

There were five, Pipkin I, 3 Pipkin II, 0 Pipkin III, and 14 Pipkin IV, femoral head fractures. Sixteen patients were successfully closed reduced in the emergency department (ED) and six patients required open reduction after failed reduction in the ED. Four patients (18%) were successfully treated with closed reduction alone and 18 patients (82%) required operative intervention. Of those undergoing operative intervention, one patient underwent excision of the femoral head fragment, seven underwent open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of the femoral head, nine underwent ORIF of the acetabulum, and one underwent ORIF of the femoral head and the acetabulum. Nine patients (41%) had an uneventful postoperative course. Two patients (9%) developed AVN, both requiring total hip arthroplasty (THA). Five patients (23%) developed PTA, two eventually requiring a THA. Two patients (9%) had sciatic nerve palsy. One patient (5%) developed a postoperative infection and four patients (18%) developed heterotrophic ossification (HO), none requiring operative treatment. Two patients (9%) had persistent anterolateral (AL) thigh numbness. Overall functional results were excellent in six patients (27%), good in six (27%), fair in seven (32%), and poor in three patients (14%). Four patients (18%) required a THA.

Conclusion

Femoral head fractures are a rare injury with well-known complications. Early diagnosis and concentric reduction are the prerequisites for successful treatment. This study adds to the growing literature on femoral head fractures associated with hip dislocations in efforts to define treatment plans and to guide patient expectations.

How to cite this article

Del Core MA, Gross B, Ahn J, et al. Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of Femoral Head Fractures Associated with Traumatic Hip Dislocations. Strategies Trauma Limb Reconstr 2019;14(1):6-10.