Treatment of displaced fractures of the femoral neck. Smith-Petersen osteosynthesis versus sliding-nail-plate osteosynthesis.

In a prospectively planned follow-up study 383 cases of displaced medial fractures of the femoral neck were allocated either to Smith-Petersen osteosynthesis or to sliding-nail-plate osteosynthesis. Two hundred and forty-nine cases were followed for more than 2 years. The two differently treated groups were alike. The results showed that sliding-nail-plate osteosynthesis was significantly superior to Smith-Petersen osteosynthesis. We recommend that Smith-Petersen osteosynthesis be abandoned.