False aneurysm of the profunda femoris artery, a rare complication of a proximal femoral fracture.

The authors describe a false aneurysm of the profunda femoris artery caused by a bony fragment from the lesser trochanter after a proximal femoral fracture. False aneurysm as a complication of a hip fracture is rare; however it is essential to consider the possibility, more even so if there is inexplicable persisting pain after internal fixation. Symptoms are sometimes diffi-cult to judge, as they can be almost identical to usual symptoms after an operated hip fracture. In this case we present a female patient with persistent pain after a surgically fixed proximal femoral fracture. CT scan showed a false aneurysm caused by a bony fragment of the lesser trochanter. Because of the persisting mechanical stress from the bony fragment we decided to explore the false aneurysm and to remove the bony fragment. It is essential to be aware of adjacent vascular and neurological structures when a fracture is seen and operated on.