title: Pathological fractures of the femoral neck.
abstract: In a review of subcapital fractures due to metastases in the femoral neck it was found that in the majority of cases pain in the region of the hip developed a few days prior to fracture. While the majority of subcapital fractures are sustained as the result of a single incident of trauma, in cases with metastases trabecular stress fractures occur in increasing numbers until finally femoral neck fracture occurs. It would seem that once a critical number of trabecular stress fractures has been reached the patient develops pain. Immediate radiologic examination should be performed, and if there is evidence of bone destruction approaching 50% of the cortex, prophylactic hip pinning is strongly indicated.
mesh_terms: D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005266:Femoral Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011859:Radiography