FEMORAL HEAD FRACTURES: THE DETERMINANTS OF FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME

Abstract

Fracture of the femoral head usually results from high-energy trauma, particularly motor vehicle accidents. These fractures are often associated with poor functional outcomes. SF-36 and MFA scores were obtained for twenty-five femoral head fractures. The mean SF-36 scores was 57.2 (22.6 to 82) and the mean MFA score was 37.6 (10–72). As expected the scores were negatively correlated (−0.587, p=0.005). The presence of an ipsilateral posterior acetabluar wall fracture negatively affected functional outcome. Fragment excision was associated with a higher functional outcome when compared to internal fixation. Posterior surgical approach resulted in higher scores than patients who underwent an anterior procedure.

Fracture of the femoral head is a rare but severe injury. The purpose of this study is to determine the functional outcome of and prognostic factors associated with femoral head fractures.

Acetabular wall fracture, surgical approach, and method of surgical treatment are prognostic factors of functional outcome as measured by the SF-36 and the MFA.

There is currently no consensus on the management of femoral head fractures and treatment practices have evolved on the basis of a limited series of studies. Functional outcome following femoral head fracture has been evaluated using Epstein’s criteria in several studies, however, only one study has been conducted using a validated outcome measure.

Twenty-five femoral head fractures in twenty-four patients were identified from the trauma and orthopaedic databases of two major trauma centres. The patient with bilateral femoral head fractures was not included in the analysis. After obtaining informed consent, the patients’ medical records were reviewed. Functional outcome was assessed using two validated, patient-based outcome measures, the Short Form (SF)-36 and the Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment instrument (MFA). The average age of the patients was 36.8 (std. dev. 11.1) and the mean length of follow-up was 41.4 months (minimum twelve months). Three factors were identified using non-parametric analysis that significantly affected the functional outcome scores:

1. The presence of an ipsilateral posterior acetabluar wall fracture negatively affected functional outcome (p=0.08).

2. Fragment excision resulted in significantly higher scores when compared with the patients treated by internal fixation (p=0.067).

3. A posterior surgical approach resulted in a better functional outcome than the anterior approach (p=0.013).