Question:easy
Most common complication of fracture neck of femur is:
Most common complication of fracture neck of femur is:
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Torn retinacular vessels make the femoral head ischemic.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- Malunion
- Avascular necrosis (AVN)
- Nonunion
- Arthritis
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: The crux is the vulnerable vascular anatomy of the proximal femur. The head is fed mainly by retinacular branches of the circumflex femoral arteries that travel up the neck.
Step 2: When the neck breaks, these vessels are torn and the head is left ischemic, so death of the femoral head, that is avascular necrosis, becomes the commonest sequela.
Step 3: Healing is also poor because the fracture lies inside the joint capsule with no periosteal layer and is constantly washed by synovial fluid; this explains why nonunion ranks second.
Step 4: Malunion is rare given that these injuries are surgically fixed or replaced, and arthritis appears only later and less often. The leading complication therefore is AVN.
\[\boxed{\text{Avascular necrosis (AVN)}}\]
Step 2: When the neck breaks, these vessels are torn and the head is left ischemic, so death of the femoral head, that is avascular necrosis, becomes the commonest sequela.
Step 3: Healing is also poor because the fracture lies inside the joint capsule with no periosteal layer and is constantly washed by synovial fluid; this explains why nonunion ranks second.
Step 4: Malunion is rare given that these injuries are surgically fixed or replaced, and arthritis appears only later and less often. The leading complication therefore is AVN.
\[\boxed{\text{Avascular necrosis (AVN)}}\]
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