Femoral Head Fracture

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Femoral Head Fracture

Femoral Head Fracture

Femoral head fractures are rare injuries that are usually associated with hip dislocation (10%). In posterior dislocation the femoral head hits the posterior rim of the acetabulum and fractures. On the other hand, anterior dislocation causes impaction or indentation fractures of the head. Treatment may be non-operative or operative depending on the location of the fracture and displacement.

Pipkin classification of femoral head fracture

Classification	Description	Treatment
Type I	Fracture is inferior to fovea. Does not involve the weight bearing portion of the femoral head.	Excision of small fragment, fixation if the fragment if large
Type II	Fracture is superior to the fovea. Involves the weight bearing portion of the femoral head.	Open reduction internal fixation
Type III	Type I or II with associated femoral neck fracture. Has a high incidence of avascular necrosis. Closed reduction may displace the neck fracture	Stabilize femoral neck fracture before attempting to reduce or fix the dislocated head
Type IV	Type I or II with associated acetabular fracture (posterior wall fracture)	Fixation if the fragment if large

Mechanism of injury
- High-energy e.g. MVA (dashboard injury), fall from height or sports
Associated injuries
- Knee instability due to posterior cruciate ligament injury (dashboard injury)
- Femoral neck fracture
- Acetabular fracture
- Avascular necrosis of the femoral
- Sciatic nerve injury
Signs and symptoms
- Hip pain
- Inability to bear weight
- Shortening
- Flexion, adduction and internal rotation (posterior hip dislocation)
- Flexion, abduction and extenral rotation (anterior hip dislocation)
- Signs of sciatic nerve injury
Investigations
- X-ray (AP pelvis, judet view, inlet and outlet view): to evaluate pre- and post-reduction associated acetabular fracture and associated pelvic ring injury respectively
- CT scan: to evaluate fracture fragment post-reduction
Emergency treatment
- Reduce hip dislocation within 6 hours (unless there is an associated femoral neck fracture)
Indications for non-operative treatment
- Pipkin I
- Non displaced pipkin II < 1mm step off
- Stable hip joint
Indications for operative treatment
- Pipkin II with > 1 mm step off
- Removal of loose bodies
- Femoral neck fracture (pipkin III)
- Acetabular fracture (pipkin IV)
- Polytrauma
- Irreducible fracture-dislocation
Non-operative treatment
- Touch down weight bearing for 4 – 6 weeks
- Restrict adduction and internal rotation
Operative treatment
- Open reduction internal fixation
- Arthroplasty
Comlpications
- Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (50%)
- Avascular necrosis (20%)
- Heterotopic ossification
- Sciatic nerve injury
- Reduced internal rotation
- Malunion
- Non-union

Dr Jeffrey Kalei

Author and illustrator for Hyperexcision. Interested in emergency room medicine. I have a passion for medical education and drawing.

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Biochemistry

Adrenocorticotrophic hormone	P: <80 ng/L
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)	P: 5–35 U/L
Albumin	P: 35–50 g/L
Aldosterone	P: 100–500 pmol/L
Alkaline phosphatase	P: 30–130 U/L (adults)
α-Amylase	P: 0–180 IU/dL
α-Fetoprotein	S: <10 kU/L
Angiotensin II	P: 5–35 pmol/L
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)	P: 0.9–4.6 pmol/L
Aspartate transaminase	P: 5–35 U/L
Bicarbonate	P: 24–30 mmol/L
Bilirubin	P: 3–17 μmol/L
BNP	P: <50 ng/L
C-reactive protein	P: <10 mg/L
Calcitonin	P: <0.1 mcg/L
Calcium (ionized)	P: 1.0–1.25 mmol/L
Calcium (total)	P: 2.12–2.60 mmol/L
Chloride	P: 95–105 mmol/L
Cholesterol	P: <5.0 mmol/L
VLDL	P: 0.128–0.645 mmol/L
LDL	P: <2.0 mmol/L
HDL	P: 0.9–1.93 mmol/L
Cortisol	P: AM 450–700 nmol/L, Midnight 80–280 nmol/L
Creatine kinase (CK)	P: ♂ 25–195 U/L, ♀ 25–170 U/L
Creatinine	P: 70–100 μmol/L
Ferritin	P: 12–200 mcg/L
Folate	S: 2.1 mcg/L
FSH	P/S: 2–8 U/L ♂ (luteal); >25 U/L menopause
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase	P: ♂ 11–51 U/L, ♀ 7–33 U/L
Glucose (fasting)	P: 3.5–5.5 mmol/L
Growth hormone	P: <20 mu/L
HbA1C (DCCT)	B: 4–6%
HbA1C (IFCC)	B: 20–42 mmol/mol
Iron	S: ♂ 14–31 μmol/L, ♀ 11–30 μmol/L
Lactate	P: Venous 0.6–2.4 mmol/L, Arterial 0.6–1.8 mmol/L
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)	P: 70–250 U/L
Lead	B: <1.8 mmol/L
LH	P: 3–16 U/L (luteal)
Magnesium	P: 0.75–1.05 mmol/L
Osmolality	P: 278–305 mosmol/kg
Parathyroid hormone (PTH)	P: 0.8–8.5 pmol/L
Potassium	P: 3.5–5.3 mmol/L
Prolactin	P: ♂ <450 U/L, ♀ <600 U/L
PSA	P: 0–4 mcg/mL
Protein (total)	P: 60–80 g/L
Red cell folate	B: 0.36–1.44 μmol/L
Renin	P: Erect 2.8–4.5, Recumbent 1.1–2.7 pmol/mL/h
Sodium	P: 135–145 mmol/L
TBG	P: 7–17 mg/L
TSH	P: 0.5–4.2 mU/L
Thyroxine (T4)	P: 70–140 nmol/L
Free T4	P: 9–22 pmol/L
Total iron-binding capacity	S: 54–75 μmol/L
Triglycerides (fasting)	P: 0.50–2.3 mmol/L
Triiodothyronine (T3)	P: 1.2–3.0 nmol/L
Troponin T	P: <0.1 mcg/L
Urate	P: ♂ 210–480 μmol/L, ♀ 150–390 μmol/L
Urea	P: 2.5–6.7 mmol/L
Vitamin B12	S: 0.13–0.68 nmol/L
Vitamin D	S: 50 nmol/L

Arterial Blood Gases

pH	7.35–7.45
PaCO₂	4.7–6.0 kPa
PaO₂	>10.6 kPa
Base excess	±2 mmol/L

Urine

Cortisol (free)	<280 nmol/24h
Hydroxyindole acetic acid	16–73 μmol/24h
Hydroxymethylmandelic acid	16–48 μmol/24h
Metanephrines	0.03–0.69 μmol/mmol creatinine
Osmolality	350–1000 mosmol/kg
17-Oxogenic steroids	♂ 28–30 μmol/24h, ♀ 21–66 μmol/24h
17-Oxosteroids (neutral)	♂ 17–76 μmol/24h, ♀ 14–59 μmol/24h
Phosphate (inorganic)	15–50 mmol/24h
Potassium	14–120 mmol/24h
Protein	<150 mg/24h
Protein/creatinine ratio	<3 mg/mmol
Sodium	100–250 mmol/24h

Haematology

WCC	4.0–11.0 ×10⁹/L
Red cell count	♂ 4.5–6.5 ×10¹²/L, ♀ 3.9–5.6 ×10¹²/L
Haemoglobin	♂ 130–180 g/L, ♀ 115–160 g/L
PCV / Haematocrit	♂ 0.4–0.54 L/L, ♀ 0.37–0.47 L/L
MCV	76–96 fL
MCH	27–32 pg
MCHC	300–360 g/L
RDW	11.6–14.6%
Neutrophils	2.0–7.5 ×10⁹/L (40–75%)
Lymphocytes	1.0–4.5 ×10⁹/L (20–45%)
Eosinophils	0.04–0.44 ×10⁹/L (1–6%)
Basophils	0–0.10 ×10⁹/L (0–1%)
Monocytes	0.2–0.8 ×10⁹/L (2–10%)
Platelet count	150–400 ×10⁹/L
Reticulocyte count	0.8–2.0% / 25–100 ×10⁹/L
ESR	Depends on age
Prothrombin time	10–14 s
APTT	35–45 s

Paediatric

Pulse Rate (beats per minute)
Neonate (<1 month)	140–160
Infant (<1 year)	120–140
1–5 years	110–130
5–12 years	80–120
>12 years	70–100
Temperature
Normal range	36.6–37.2 °C
38.0 °C	Fever (infant)
38.5 °C	Fever (>3 months)
Respiratory Rate (tachypnoea)
Neonate (0–2 months)	≥60 breaths/min
2–12 months	≥50 breaths/min
1–5 years	≥40 breaths/min
>5 years	≥30 breaths/min
Blood Pressure (mmHg)
Term	65/45
1 year	75/50
4 years	85/60
8 years	95/65
10 years	100/70
Head Circumference
Term	35 cm ± 2
1 year	+1 cm/month
2–3 years	+2 cm/year
4–5 years	+1 cm/year
5 years	~53 cm
10 years	56–57 cm
Height
Term	52–55 cm
1 year	75 cm
2–12 years	6a + 77 cm
Weight Formulas
3–12 months	(a + 9)/2 kg
1–6 years	2a + 8 kg
>6 years	(7a − 5)/2 kg
Developmental Milestones
Social smile	1.5 months
Head control	4 months
Sits unsupported	7 months
Crawls	10 months
Stands unsupported	10–12 months
Walks	12–13 months
Talks	18 months
MUAC (6 months–5 years)
Obese	>17.5 cm
Normal	13.5–17.4 cm
At risk	12.5–13.4 cm
Moderate malnutrition	11.5–12.4 cm
Severe malnutrition	<11.5 cm
Blood Transfusion
Whole blood	20 mL/kg
pRBC	10 mL/kg
Formula	6 × (weight in kg) × Hb deficit
Normal Paediatric Lab Values
Haemoglobin (g/dL)	Hematocrit (%)
Term newborn: 13–20	40–58
1 month: 11–18	32–54
2 months: 10–15	28–44
1–2 years: 10–13	32–40
>2 years: 11–14	33–42
CSF WBC (/mm³)
Term newborn	0–25
>2 weeks	0–5

Femoral Head Fracture

Dr Jeffrey Kalei

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