title: Histomorphometric analysis of the femoral neck in patients with and without femoral neck fracture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine, through bone histomorphometry in femoral neck, whether there are differences in the cancellous bone of the proximal femur from female patients over 60 years old who had femoral neck fracture and similar patients who did not have such fracture.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the trabecular part of the femur of 13 female patients, aged over 60 years old, by the bone histomorphometry method. Seven of these patients had femoral neck fracture. All of them were subjected to hip arthroplasty.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bone densitometry showed no significant difference. There was no significant difference on the average thickness of the trabecular bone (124.38µm versus 147.09µm). The number of bone trabeculae was lower (1.52, versus 1.88) and the separation between them was larger (541,19µm versus 391,14µm) in the fracture group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A difference in histomorphometric parameters of cancellous bone of the femur neck was observed among patients who had fractures as compared to patients who had not.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medina, Hospital das Clínicas, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, 1. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caio Gonçalves
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medina, Laboratory of Medical Investigation, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, 2. Laboratory of Medical Investigation LIM 16, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanda
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jorgetti
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medina, Laboratory of Medical Investigation, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, 2. Laboratory of Medical Investigation LIM 16, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciene Machado
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dos Reis
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medina, Hospital das Clínicas, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, 1. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alberto Tesconi
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Croci
keywords: Bone and bones/; Bone remodeling; Densitometry; Hip fractures; Osteoporosis