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Cardiology534 papers

Fracture of femoral condyle

Last edited: 4/14/2026

Overview

Femoral condyle fractures, particularly involving the femoral neck and trochlea, are significant orthopedic injuries often seen in elderly patients and can lead to substantial morbidity and mortality. These fractures require careful management to prevent complications such as nonunion, avascular necrosis, and functional impairment.

Diagnosis

  • Clinical Presentation: Pain, swelling, and limited range of motion around the knee or hip.
  • Imaging: X-rays are essential; CT and MRI may be needed for detailed assessment, especially in atypical fractures 1112.
  • Radiographic Signs: Specific signs on initial radiographs can help diagnose occult femoral neck fractures in elderly patients 16.
  • Pathologic Examination: Routine pathologic examination of femoral head specimens post-arthroplasty is debated; its utility in predicting complications is limited 9.
  • Management

  • Surgical Fixation: Intramedullary nailing is common for femoral shaft fractures; the necessity of traction tables remains debated 3.
  • Hemiarthroplasty vs. Total Hip Arthroplasty: Choice depends on fracture characteristics and patient factors; geriatric co-management can improve outcomes 48.
  • Vitamin Supplementation: Address deficiencies (e.g., vitamin D, K) in pediatric cases to prevent complications like nonunion 2.
  • Analgesia: Femoral nerve block provides effective analgesia in pediatric patients with femoral shaft fractures 17.
  • Monitoring Complications: Regular follow-up to monitor for nonunion, infection, and atypical fractures, especially in long-term bisphosphonate users 15.
  • Special Populations

  • Elderly: High risk of complications; geriatric co-management recommended to reduce mortality and morbidity 8.
  • Pediatrics: Vitamin deficiencies should be identified and corrected to prevent nonunion 2.
  • Comorbidities: Low serum albumin levels do not predict deep wound infections but indicate need for nutritional support 19.
  • Key Recommendations

  • Geriatric Co-Management: Implement geriatric co-management for elderly patients with proximal femoral fractures to improve outcomes (Evidence: Moderate 8).
  • Address Vitamin Deficiencies: Screen and treat vitamin D and K deficiencies in pediatric patients with femoral shaft fractures to prevent nonunion (Evidence: Weak 2).
  • Routine Pathologic Exam: Routine pathologic examination of femoral head specimens post-arthroplasty may not significantly alter clinical management (Evidence: Weak 9).
  • Consider Femoral Nerve Block: Use femoral nerve block for effective analgesia in pediatric femoral shaft fractures (Evidence: Expert opinion 17).
  • Monitor Bisphosphonate Users: Closely monitor patients on long-term bisphosphonates for atypical fractures and delayed healing (Evidence: Moderate 15).
  • References

    1 Takeshima E, Kimura A. Relationship between polypharmacy and activities of daily living or in-hospital falls in elderly patients hospitalized for proximal femoral fracture: A retrospective cohort study. Medicine 2025. link 2 Igarashi S, Nozaka K, Shirahata T, Kijima H, Saito H, Saito K et al.. Pediatric femoral shaft fracture requiring revision surgery for nonunion associated with vitamin D and K deficiencies: a case report. Journal of medical case reports 2024. link 3 He YK, Wang YC, Li FF. Is the traction table necessary to treat femoral fractures with intramedullary nailing? A meta-analysis. Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research 2023. link 4 Randelli F, Viganò M, Liccardi A, Mazzoleni MG, Basile G, Menon A et al.. Femoral neck fractures: Key points to consider for fixation or replacement a narrative review of recent literature. Injury 2023. link 5 Claireaux HA, Searle HKC, Parsons NR, Griffin XL. Interventions for treating fractures of the distal femur in adults. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews 2022. link 6 Wu Y, Song M, Peng G, Xu Y, Li Y, Wei M et al.. Muscle pedicle bone flap transplantation for treating femoral neck fracture in adults: a systematic review. Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research 2021. link 7 Hamidi S, Khosravifard A, Hematiyan MR, Dehghani J. A comparative mechanical study of two types of femur bone implant using the finite element method. International journal for numerical methods in biomedical engineering 2021. link 8 Werner M, Krause O, Macke C, Herold L, Ranker A, Krettek C et al.. Orthogeriatric co-management for proximal femoral fractures. Can two additions make a big difference?. BMC musculoskeletal disorders 2020. link 9 Davis JA, Rohlfing G, Sagouspe K, Brambila M. Assessing the Value of Routine Pathologic Examination of Resected Femoral Head Specimens After Femoral Neck Fracture. The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2019. link 10 Li YH, Zhu D, Li Y, Zhao T, Cao Z, Tan L. Comparison of internal fixation with Gamma3 Long nails and INTERTAN nails in the treatment of Seinsheimer type V subtrochanteric femoral fractures in elderly patients. Medicine 2019. link 11 Lee YK, Lee YJ, Lee NK, Nho JH, Koo KH. Low Positive Predictive Value of Bone Scan to Predict Impending Complete Fracture among Incomplete Atypical Femoral Fracture. Journal of Korean medical science 2018. link 12 Martelli S, Perilli E. Time-elapsed synchrotron-light microstructural imaging of femoral neck fracture. Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials 2018. link 13 Hyodo K, Nishino T, Kamada H, Nozawa D, Mishima H, Yamazaki M. Location of fractures and the characteristics of patients with atypical femoral fractures: analyses of 38 Japanese cases. Journal of bone and mineral metabolism 2017. link 14 Gary JL, Munz JW, Burgess AR. "Push-past" reaming as a reduction aid with intramedullary nailing of metadiaphyseal and diaphyseal femoral shaft fractures. Orthopedics 2014. link 15 Edwards BJ, Bunta AD, Lane J, Odvina C, Rao DS, Raisch DW et al.. Bisphosphonates and nonhealing femoral fractures: analysis of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) and international safety efforts: a systematic review from the Research on Adverse Drug Events And Reports (RADAR) project. The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume 2013. link 16 Chiang CC, Wu HT, Lin CF, Tzeng YH, Huang CK, Chen WM et al.. Analysis of initial injury radiographs of occult femoral neck fractures in elderly patients: a pilot study. Orthopedics 2012. link 17 Chu RS, Browne GJ, Cheng NG, Lam LT. Femoral nerve block for femoral shaft fractures in a paediatric Emergency Department: can it be done better?. European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine 2003. link 18 Giannoudis PV, Smith RM, Bellamy MC, Morrison JF, Dickson RA, Guillou PJ. Stimulation of the inflammatory system by reamed and unreamed nailing of femoral fractures. An analysis of the second hit. The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume 1999. link 19 Hedström M, Gröndal L, Ortquist A, Dalén N, Ahl T. Serum albumin and deep infection in femoral neck fractures. A study of 437 cases followed for one year. International orthopaedics 1998. link 20 Wang CJ, Yettram AL, Yao MS, Procter P. Finite element analysis of a Gamma nail within a fractured femur. Medical engineering & physics 1998. link00079-4) 21 Neander G, Adolphson P, Hedström M, von Sivers K, Dahlborn M, Dalén N. Decrease in bone mineral density and muscle mass after femoral neck fracture. A quantitative computed tomography study in 25 patients. Acta orthopaedica Scandinavica 1997. link 22 Campbell AJ. Femoral neck fractures in elderly women: a prospective study. Age and ageing 1976. link 23 Thomas TG, Stevens RS. Social effects of fractures of the neck of the femur. British medical journal 1974. link

    Original source

    1. [1]
    2. [2]
      Pediatric femoral shaft fracture requiring revision surgery for nonunion associated with vitamin D and K deficiencies: a case report.Igarashi S, Nozaka K, Shirahata T, Kijima H, Saito H, Saito K et al. Journal of medical case reports (2024)
    3. [3]
      Is the traction table necessary to treat femoral fractures with intramedullary nailing? A meta-analysis.He YK, Wang YC, Li FF Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research (2023)
    4. [4]
      Femoral neck fractures: Key points to consider for fixation or replacement a narrative review of recent literature.Randelli F, Viganò M, Liccardi A, Mazzoleni MG, Basile G, Menon A et al. Injury (2023)
    5. [5]
      Interventions for treating fractures of the distal femur in adults.Claireaux HA, Searle HKC, Parsons NR, Griffin XL The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2022)
    6. [6]
      Muscle pedicle bone flap transplantation for treating femoral neck fracture in adults: a systematic review.Wu Y, Song M, Peng G, Xu Y, Li Y, Wei M et al. Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research (2021)
    7. [7]
      A comparative mechanical study of two types of femur bone implant using the finite element method.Hamidi S, Khosravifard A, Hematiyan MR, Dehghani J International journal for numerical methods in biomedical engineering (2021)
    8. [8]
      Orthogeriatric co-management for proximal femoral fractures. Can two additions make a big difference?Werner M, Krause O, Macke C, Herold L, Ranker A, Krettek C et al. BMC musculoskeletal disorders (2020)
    9. [9]
      Assessing the Value of Routine Pathologic Examination of Resected Femoral Head Specimens After Femoral Neck Fracture.Davis JA, Rohlfing G, Sagouspe K, Brambila M The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (2019)
    10. [10]
    11. [11]
      Low Positive Predictive Value of Bone Scan to Predict Impending Complete Fracture among Incomplete Atypical Femoral Fracture.Lee YK, Lee YJ, Lee NK, Nho JH, Koo KH Journal of Korean medical science (2018)
    12. [12]
      Time-elapsed synchrotron-light microstructural imaging of femoral neck fracture.Martelli S, Perilli E Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials (2018)
    13. [13]
      Location of fractures and the characteristics of patients with atypical femoral fractures: analyses of 38 Japanese cases.Hyodo K, Nishino T, Kamada H, Nozawa D, Mishima H, Yamazaki M Journal of bone and mineral metabolism (2017)
    14. [14]
    15. [15]
    16. [16]
      Analysis of initial injury radiographs of occult femoral neck fractures in elderly patients: a pilot study.Chiang CC, Wu HT, Lin CF, Tzeng YH, Huang CK, Chen WM et al. Orthopedics (2012)
    17. [17]
      Femoral nerve block for femoral shaft fractures in a paediatric Emergency Department: can it be done better?Chu RS, Browne GJ, Cheng NG, Lam LT European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine (2003)
    18. [18]
      Stimulation of the inflammatory system by reamed and unreamed nailing of femoral fractures. An analysis of the second hit.Giannoudis PV, Smith RM, Bellamy MC, Morrison JF, Dickson RA, Guillou PJ The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume (1999)
    19. [19]
      Serum albumin and deep infection in femoral neck fractures. A study of 437 cases followed for one year.Hedström M, Gröndal L, Ortquist A, Dalén N, Ahl T International orthopaedics (1998)
    20. [20]
      Finite element analysis of a Gamma nail within a fractured femur.Wang CJ, Yettram AL, Yao MS, Procter P Medical engineering & physics (1998)
    21. [21]
      Decrease in bone mineral density and muscle mass after femoral neck fracture. A quantitative computed tomography study in 25 patients.Neander G, Adolphson P, Hedström M, von Sivers K, Dahlborn M, Dalén N Acta orthopaedica Scandinavica (1997)
    22. [22]
    23. [23]
      Social effects of fractures of the neck of the femur.Thomas TG, Stevens RS British medical journal (1974)

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