Age and Sex Distribution. One Hundred and Seventy-nine Fractures of the Femoral Neck

The frequency of failure in the treatment of intracapsular fractures of the neck of the femur continues to be a major problem in orthopaedic surgery. It is surprising that, in spite of the great amount of work done on this problem in recent years, basic principles remain undetermined. There is still no agreement about the classification of the fracture, about the recognition of characteristics important in prognosis, or about defects in treatment that may be responsible for the complications. From time to time new methods of fixation are introduced, but until a standard classification of the fracture and a standard method for evaluation of the results are established, the comparison between different methods of treatment is not only useless, but may even be misleading. The object of the present inquiry is to demonstrate the influence of certain factors on the outcome of this fracture, and to emphasise some principles that govern its prognosis and treatment.