Anterior dislocation of the hip and associated femoral-head fractures.

Fourteen of fifteen anterior dislocations of the hip, all fifteen being of the obturator variety, were treated initially by closed reduction. In thirteen of the patients fractures of the femoral head were noted, four being transchondral and nine of the indentation type. The fractures of the femoral head were definitely related to the outcome. Seven of the thirteen patients with fractures had fair or poor results, including all four with transchondral fractures and three of the six patients with indentation fractures that were more than four millimeters deep. Roentgenographic evidence of degenerative joint disease was present in ten of the thirteen patients with femoral-head fractures. The two patients without fracture had excellent results.