Influence of acetabular and femoral version on fractures of the femoral neck.
BACKGROUND
Fractures through the proximal femur are broadly grouped into intertrochanteric fractures and intracapsular fractures. It is not clear why a patient may sustain an intertrochanteric fracture as compared with an intracapsular fracture. There is an established relationship between relative hip retroversion and the development of osteoarthritis. We postulate retroversion also may be a risk factor for having intracapsular fractures develop.


OBJECTIVE
We looked specifically at the geometry of the hip to analyze the possibility of a relationship between acetabular version, femoral version, and Mckibbin's instability index and fracture type.


METHODS
We recruited 40 patients with fractures of the femoral neck for the study. There were 15 men and 25 women with a mean age of 80 years (range, 57-92 years). There were 14 intertrochanteric fractures and 26 intracapsular fractures. After treating their fracture, the contralateral hip was scanned in a CT scanner and assessed by two independent observers to establish the acetabular and femoral version.


RESULTS
We found no correlation between proximal femoral fracture type and the contralateral femoral version, femoral neck length, acetabular version, or Mckibbin's instability index or between fracture type and age or gender.


CONCLUSIONS
There appears to be no correlation between proximal femoral fracture type and acetabular or femoral version.


METHODS
Level II, prognostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Frost
A
A
Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, University Hospital of North Staffordshire, Princes Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 7LN, UK. afrost@doctors.net.uk
Pavlou
G
G
Richards
P J
PJ
Belcher
J
J
Jasani
V
V
D000077:Acetabulum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017760:Bone Malalignment / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005269:Femur / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006617:Hip Dislocation / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed