Healing time of the femoral neck hernia

Introduction / definition

Even a simple fall can lead to Femoral neck fracture (syn .: Femoral neck fracture or Femoral neck fracture) to lead.

In most cases, this affects the elderly osteoporosis Suffer. Since women suffer more from bone loss as a result of hormonal changes in old age, they are particularly at risk.

A femoral neck fracture is usually operated on. In the medial femoral neck fracture, the installation of a artificial hip joint considered. Rapid remobilization plays an important role here. On average, the majority of patients are discharged from the hospital for follow-up treatment after 10 days. The faster the mobilization is started after the surgical procedure and the better the general health of the patient, the shorter the healing time.

Duration of the operation

The duration of the surgical procedure after a femoral neck fracture is on average 30 to 45 minutes. The operation should be performed as soon as possible after the trauma because it has a significant impact on the prognosis. The time window is 48 hours.

There are basically two options for treating femoral neck fractures. In younger patients under 60 years of age, the preservation of the bony structures is paramount. The operative procedure will Osteosynthesis called and includes the use of screws, plates and nails.
The aim is the optimal adaptation of the head and neck of the Thighbone. The duration of the operation is about half an hour. It takes a longer time for osteosynthesis to completely heal and load than for implanting a femoral head prosthesis.

In the case of a medial femoral neck fracture, there is a risk of insufficient blood supply to the femoral head and subsequent death of the bone. The installation of an artificial hip joint - an endoprosthesis - is the method of choice for older patients over 70 years of age. It takes about 30 to 40 minutes to perform the procedure. It is decided individually whether both the femoral head and the acetabulum (total endoprosthesis) or only the femoral head are to be replaced. Although the surgical procedure is larger than with osteosynthesis, the joint can be fully loaded again immediately afterwards.

Appointment with a hip expert?

I would be happy to advise you!

Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
But now enough is indicated ;-)

The hip joint is one of the joints that are exposed to the greatest stress.
The treatment of the hip (e.g. hip arthrosis, hip impingement, etc.) therefore requires a lot of experience.
I treat all hip diseases with a focus on conservative methods.
The aim of any treatment is treatment without surgery.
Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

You can find me in:

• Lumedis - your orthopedic surgeon
  Kaiserstrasse 14
  60311 Frankfurt am Main

Directly to the online appointment arrangement
Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to make an appointment with private health insurers. I hope for your understanding!
Further information about myself can be found at Dr. Nicolas Gumpert

Duration of pain

A femoral neck fracture is often associated with considerable pain. The operation itself also usually causes severe pain. As a rule, the pain will improve significantly after a few weeks. Adequate pain therapy and early mobilization with supportive physiotherapy have a supportive effect.

Duration of rehab

The medical rehabilitation of the femoral neck fracture begins immediately after the surgical treatment of the fracture and usually lasts three weeks. An extension to four weeks can also be requested.

Follow-up treatment is carried out on an outpatient, inpatient or mobile basis and depends on the individual needs of the patient. It always includes physiotherapy exercises. The aim is to strengthen the muscles and improve mobility and coordination.

The mobile rehabilitation enables the patient to have treatment within their own four walls. It comprises two practice units per day, each lasting 45 minutes over a period of 20 days.

If necessary, stays in rehabilitation centers are used, which usually also last 20 days. Some centers specialize in postoperative treatment of the elderly and have a high level of nursing support.

Read more on the topic: Rehabilitation after a femoral neck fracture and rehabilitation after installation of a hip prosthesis

Length of hospital stay

The length of the hospital stay following surgical treatment is between 10 and 14 days. During this period, the focus is on mobilization, initially with crutches.

Length of incapacity for work

Depending on the activity, the duration of the incapacity for work is around 8 to 12 weeks. If the femoral head is operated on, it must hip joint be relieved over a period of 6 to 12 weeks.
Even after this time, however, healing is not completely complete and the risk of a new fracture increases. Crutches support the adequate relief of the joint. Since they represent an obstacle, especially in everyday work, an inability to work for several months is not uncommon.

Summary

The healing of the femoral neck fracture is mainly from the predominant bone substance dependent. Thus, one of the biggest problems in healing is the osteoporosis, of these are especially those Women affected.

Because osteoporosis of the Bones unstable and porous is in such a case a Surgery to preserve the femoral head is not possible. The screws would not hold in the porous bone. So it would be a quick one Restoration of mobility very unlikely. To the postoperative complications To keep it as low as possible, however, early mobilization is the most important goal in the treatment of the femoral neck fracture. The age of the patient plays a decisive role in the healing time:

• Most of the affected patients are relatively old and suffer from comorbidities which significantly impair healing after the operation due to the occurrence of serious complications. For example, the risk of postoperative thrombosis with pulmonary embolism, cardiac complications or wound healing disorders increases significantly.
  All of these complications delay healing and increase mortality significantly after a femoral neck fracture. For this reason, the mortality risk is relatively high at around 6%. However, if an artificial hip is implanted directly, mobilization of the patient very early is less than adequate Pain therapy possible. If the hospital treatment is followed by long-term and consistent physiotherapy, the mortality rate drops massively.
  Ideally, older patients can be referred for rehabilitation immediately after hospital treatment. In rare cases, after a artificial hip replacement break the prosthesis shaft out of the bone. In this case, another operation must be performed. This massively delays the healing time and makes postoperative mobilization more difficult.
• Young and otherwise healthy patients, on the other hand, have a very good chance of healing, as the bone is still stable and tight and the ends of the fracture heal much better.
  Furthermore, younger patients have significantly fewer comorbidities and therefore a much lower risk of dying from postoperative complications.

How long it will take to heal after a femoral neck fracture cannot be said in general, however, but varies greatly from person to person. In addition to age, it mainly depends on the comorbidities, the general physical condition of the patient, the Operation result and the effective follow-up treatment from.