title: Management and radiographic outcomes of femoral head fractures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Femoral head fractures are uncommon injuries. Small series constitute the majority of the available literature. Surgical approach and fracture management is variable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence, method of treatment, and outcomes of consecutive femoral head fractures at a regional academic Level I trauma center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of a prospective database was performed over a 13-year period. All AO/OTA 31C femoral head fractures were identified. A surgical approach and fixation method was recorded. Clinical and radiographic evaluation was performed for patients with 6 months or greater follow-up. Radiographs were evaluated for fixation failure, heterotopic ossification (HO), avascular necrosis (AVN) and post-traumatic arthritis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 164 fractures in 163 patients; 147 fractures were available for review. Treatment was operative reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in 78 (53.1%), fragment excision in 37 (25.1%) and non-operative in 28 (19%). An anterior approach and mini-fragment screws were used in the majority of patients treated with fixation. Sixty-nine fractures had follow-up greater than 6 months. Sixty-two fractures (89.9%) proceeded to uneventful union. All Pipkin III fractures failed operative fixation. Six patients developed AVN, seven patients had a known conversion to hip arthroplasty; HO developed in 28 (40.6%) patients and rarely required excision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fractures of the femoral head are rare. An anterior approach can be used for fragment excision or fixation using mini-fragment screws. Pipkin III fractures represent catastrophic injuries. Non-bridging, asymptomatic HO is common. AVN and posttraumatic degenerative disease of the hip occur but are uncommon.
  
  
  METHODS
  IV-prognostic.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Irvine, 101 The City Drive South, Building 29A, Pavilion III, 2nd Floor, Orange, CA, 92868, USA. jscolaro@uci.edu.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Scolaro
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Geoffrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marecek
authors.affiliation: Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Firoozabadi
authors.affiliation: Rothman Institute at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Krieg
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas, Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Milton Lee Chip
authors.initials: MLC
authors.lastname: Routt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001168:Arthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D005270:Femur Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005271:Femur Head Necrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014193:Trauma Centers; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Femoral head; Fracture; Heterotopic ossification; Hip dislocation; Pipkin