Anti‐Shortening Screw for the Prevention of Postoperative Shortening in Displaced Femoral Neck Fractures: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Background Early femoral neck shortening after femoral neck system (FNS) fixation for displaced femoral neck fractures can occur in 22.3%–39.1% of cases, leading to decreased hip joint function. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using an anti‐shortening screw (ASS) in FNS fixation to prevent postoperative femoral neck shortening in displaced femoral neck fractures. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 106 cases of displaced femoral neck fractures treated with FNS at the Hospital from April 2020 to April 2023. Patients were divided into two groups based on the use of an ASS: the traditional group and the ASS group, each consisting of 53 cases. The ASS group was age‐matched with the traditional group treated during the same period without an ASS. The study variables included age, sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking and drinking history, injury mechanism, side of injury, fracture type, surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, Harris Hip Score (HHS) at the final follow‐up, radiographic assessment (femoral neck shortening), and complications (infection, femoral head necrosis, nonunion, and secondary surgery). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, with continuous and categorical variables analyzed using appropriate parametric (t‐test) and nonparametric (Mann–Whitney U test) tests, and chi‐square or Fisher's exact tests, respectively. A p‐value 0.05). Conclusion The use of an ASS in FNS fixation for displaced femoral neck fractures can reduce the degree of postoperative shortening and improve hip joint function.

Keywords

• Anti‐Shortening Screw
• Femoral Neck Fracture
• Femoral Neck Shortening
• Femoral Neck System