Functional outcome after successful internal fixation versus salvage arthroplasty of patients with a femoral neck fracture.

Objectives: To determine patient independency, health-related and disease-specific quality of life (QOL), gait pattern, and muscle strength in patients after salvage arthroplasty for failed internal fixation of a femoral neck fracture.

Design: Secondary cohort study to a randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Multicenter trial in the Netherlands, including 14 academic and nonacademic hospitals.

Femoral neck shortening after internal fixation of a femoral neck fracture.

This study assesses femoral neck shortening and its effect on gait pattern and muscle strength in patients with femoral neck fractures treated with internal fixation. Seventy-six patients from a multicenter randomized controlled trial participated. Patient characteristics and Short Form 12 and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores were collected.