Illustration of the regions of the proximal femur.
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Case Discussion
Proximal femoral fractures are usually divided into four groups:
Each region has different characteristics that implicate in different treatment and prognosis.
Femoral head fractures are rare and typically associated with traumatic hip dislocations in young adults following high-energy trauma.
Femoral neck and intertrochanteric fractures are common, often resulting from a fall from standing height in the elderly population. Femoral neck fractures present a higher risk of femoral head avascular necrosis than intertrochanteric ones.
Subtrochanteric fractures are common too, but less than femoral neck and intertrochanteric fractures. They have a bimodal distribution, affecting both young adults in high-energy trauma and the elderly in low-energy trauma such as fall from standing height. Subtrochanteric fractures can be associated with prolonged use of bisphosphonates.
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