[Management of femoral neck fracture in advanced age using femur head endoprosthesis].

Between 1984 and 1989, 419 patients with subcapital fracture were treated, 170 with a head conserving method, 57 with a total endoprosthesis (THR), and 242 with a hemiprosthesis. In the last group the average age was 80.1 (range 55-98) years. At follow up an average of 2.5 years after surgery 63.3% had died. Most of the remaining patients were asymptomatic and their walking ability in the first few years was good. Complications included head protrusion, followed in declining order of frequency by loosening and ectopic calcifications. We conclude that for elderly patients this technique is a suitable alternative to THR or the femoral-head-conserving method, which had higher complication rates.