Summary
The fracture of the neck of the femur is the clinical picture of the elderly person and is usually caused by a fall to the side. It can be classified according to the angle of the fracture gap (Pauwels) and the displacement of the fragments (Garden). These classifications are used to decide on therapy and to estimate the prognosis.
The fracture of the neck of the femur manifests itself in severe pain on the affected side and possibly a malposition and shortening of the affected leg. The femoral neck fracture with interruption of the blood supply to the femoral head is particularly dangerous. In this case the complete replacement of the hip joint by means of a prosthesis is often necessary.
Depending on the age and mobility of the patient, the femoral head replacement is aimed at at an early stage. This offers the advantage of fast mobilization and load possibilities of the injured leg. Early mobilization massively reduces the risk of postoperative complications. For this reason, artificial hip replacement is used especially for elderly people.
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