Incidence of osteonecrosis from histopathological study following fracture neck of femur.

This prospective study was aimed to evaluate the incidence of osteonecrosis in Thai patients with fracture neck of femur Forty-three patients who had sustained fracture were enrolled in the present study. The overall incidence of osteonecrosis was 72.1%. Incidence of osteonecrosis was 53.3% among patients who underwent surgery within 1 week after injury and 82.1% among those who underwent surgery after that time but there was no statistical difference (p-value = 0.07. Regarding displacement of fracture, the present study found the incidence of osteonecrosis was 100% among patients with undisplaced (Garden type 1 and 2) fractures and 60.0% and 76.9%, respectively among those with displaced fractures (Garden type 3 and 4). Most histological changes according to Ficat and Arlet Method of undisplaced fractures were stage 1 and 2 and the displaced fracture was stage 2. It reveals a high rate of osteonecrosis following fracture neck of femur but mostly in early reversible change. There was no significant statistical difference regarding age, duration, type of fracture, and co-morbidity.