Minimally Displaced Femoral Neck Fracture Pilot Study

Participation Requirements

• Sex:

  ALL

• Eligible Ages:

  60 and up

Participation Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients 60 years of age or older.
* Complete fracture of the femoral neck (AO/OTA 31B) confirmed with anteroposterior and lateral hip radiographs, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
* Minimally displaced fracture that could be, in the judgment of the attending surgeon, optimally managed with either arthroplasty or in situ internal fixation without reduction.
* Low energy injury mechanism defined as a fall from standing height.
* Informed consent obtained from patient or proxy.
* Surgeons with expertise in total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, and internal fixation are available to perform surgery. Note: Surgeons do not need to be experts in all techniques.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Unable to ambulate 10 feet pre-injury with any assistance.
* Associated lower extremity injury that prevents post-operative weightbearing.
* Retained hardware around the hip that precludes either study treatment.
* Infection around the hip (soft tissue or bone).
* Pathologic fracture with a lytic lesion in the femoral neck that precludes internal fixation.
* Patient is too ill, in the judgement of the attending surgeon, for internal fixation.
* Patient is too ill, in the judgement of the attending surgeon, for arthroplasty.
* Unable to obtain informed consent due to language barriers.
* Problems, in the judgment of study personnel, with maintaining follow-up with the patient.
* Currently enrolled in a study that does not permit co-enrollment.
* Prior enrollment in the trial.
* Other reason to exclude the patient, as approved by the Methods Centre.