Repairing a Fractured Hip

Hip joints are repaired when the fracture is not too severe. How the repair is done depends on where the thighbone (femur) is fractured:

• Femoral neck (subcapital) fractures: These fractures occur in the neck of the thighbone. Metal pins can be inserted to support the femoral head.

• Intertrochanteric fractures: These fractures occur in the large bumps of bone (trochanters) below the neck of the thighbone. For these fractures, a sliding compression screw and a metal side plate may be used. Other treatments, such as hip replacement, may be used depending on the person's condition.

Hip repair preserves the person’s own hip joint.