A rare complication of ipsilateral femoral neck fracture after removal of the long Gamma nail in a healed intertrochanteric fracture

^aDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ^bDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia‑Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan

 

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Open Access funded by Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

 

 

Abstract

Ipsilateral femoral neck fracture after hardware removal in healed trochanteric fracture is a rare complication. We reported a case of a 79‑year‑old woman who had undergone open reduction and internal fixation for her left intertrochanteric fracture with a long Gamma nail about 1 year ago. She asked for implants removal due to local irritation. However, 5 days after implants removal, left subcapital femoral neck fracture occurred. Removal of implants under elective indications could lead to high complication rate. Orthopedic surgeons should perform the removal of hardware in healed intertrochanteric fracture for very selected cases.

Keywords: Femoral neck fracture, Hardware removal, Internal fixation, Spontaneous fracture, Trochanteric fracture