Avascular necrosis after femoral neck fracture in children and adolescents: poor prognosis and risk factors

Abstract

Introduction: Avascular necrosis (AVN) after femoral neck fracture (FNF) is a rare and severe paediatric condition, but only few studies described its prognosis and risk factors. The present study aimed to evaluate the outcomes and independent factors for poor prognosis of AVN after FNF in children and adolescents.

Method: This retrospective study included children and adolescents with AVN after FNF who received conservative treatment (CT group) or non-vascularized bone grafting (NVBG group) between 2000 and 2018. The primary outcomes were the risk of hip arthritis (Tönnis grade) and hip deformity risk (Stulberg classification). All patients were followed for at least two years to assess AVN progression.

Results: Study included 81 patients. In the CT group, 23/43 patients (53.4%) developed hip arthritis, and 24/43 patients (55.8%) showed hip deformity. In the NVBG group, 23/38 patients (60.5%) developed hip arthritis, and 34/38 patients (89.5%) had a hip deformity. The multivariable analysis indicated that NVBG surgery had no significant effect on the outcomes. Post-treatment femoral head collapse (P = 0.05, OR = 3.80, 95% CI = 1.01-14.29) and post-treatment hip subluxation (P = 0.01, OR = 2.85, 95% CI = 2.31-129.56) were independent risk factors for severe hip arthritis. Post-treatment femoral head collapse (P < 0.01, OR = 7.64, 95% CI = 3.23-18.04) and pre-treatment hip subluxation (P = 0.02, OR = 7.33, 95% CI = 1.44-37.41) were independent risk factors for severe hip deformity.

Conclusion: Neither CT nor NVBG have demonstrated superiority regarding long-term outcomes in patients with AVN after FNF. Upon the disease progression to severe collapse with subluxation and severe arthritis, further hip preservation attempts could be futile.

Keywords: Adolescents; Avascular necrosis; Children; Hip arthritis; Hip fracture; Hip subluxation.