Femoral Neck System vs. four cannulated screws in the treatment of Pauwels III femoral neck fracture

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of the Femoral Neck System (FNS) vs. four cannulated screws in Pauwels III femoral neck fractures.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with newly occurred type Pauwels III femoral neck fracture treated at author' Hospital of between January 2017 and February 2021. The patients received FNS (n = 27) or four cannulated screws (control group, n = 31). The operation time, blood loss, fracture healing time, incidence of complications (such as short femoral neck, necrosis of femoral head, nonunion of fracture, and failure of internal fixation withdrawal), and hip Harris score at the last follow-up were analyzed.

Results: The operation time, blood loss, and fracture healing time were not significantly different between the two groups (all P > 0.05). In the FNS group, three and one patients were with femoral neck shortening and femoral head necrosis, respectively, while no fracture nonunion or failure of internal fixation withdrawal occurred. In the control group, seven, two, one, and two patients were with femoral neck shortening, femoral head necrosis, nonunion, and internal fixation failure, respectively. The cumulative complication incidence was 14.8% and 38.7% in the FNS and control groups (P = 0.042). The excellent and good rates of the hip Harris score at the last follow-up were 92.6% and 71.0% in the FNS and control groups, respectively (P = 0.036).

Conclusion: The study suggested that the clinical efficacy of FNS was better than internal fixation using four cannulated screws in treating Pauwels III type femoral neck fracture.