Diagnosis

The diagnosis of a fracture of the femur is divided into several sections. The first step in the diagnosis is the detailed doctor-patient consultation (anamnesis). During this conversation, specific questions are asked regarding the course of the accident and the existing complaints.

This is followed by a physical examination in which the affected leg is inspected for abnormalities. In addition, both the hip and knee joints are examined in a side by side comparison. If a fracture of the thigh is suspected, x-rays of the thigh are taken.

In this context, it is important that both a frontal and a lateral image are taken. The reason for this is the fact that fractures can sometimes not be detected as such from a single plane. In some cases, further imaging examinations may also be useful.

The preparation of a computer tomographic image (CT) is suitable for assessing the bony structures. Soft tissue defects are best visualized by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A possible differential diagnosis of a femoral fracture in the femoral head or neck region is dislocation (luxation) of the hip joint. The symptoms of other diseases of the hip or knee joint can also be similar to those of a fractured femur.

Conservative therapy

The treatment of a femur fracture is divided into surgical and non-surgical (conservative) measures. In some cases, non-operative treatment methods are preferred to surgical correction of the femur fracture. This is especially the case with children.

However, even if previous illnesses of the affected patient make surgery particularly risky, treatment of the femur fracture is usually conservative. In most cases, the thigh is stabilized with a plaster cast for several weeks (6 to 8). The implementation of a so-called extension treatment is also one of the non-operative treatment options. In extension treatment, the fractured leg is stretched over several weeks using a specific device. In this way, the bone fragments are brought into a correct position in relation to each other and are able to reestablish a bony connection.