ALCOHOL ABUSE AND HEALING COMPLICATIONS AFTER CERVICAL HIP FRACTURES

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head following femoral neck fracturesis a common condition. Spontaneous osteonecrosis, is, however,a rare disorder, which is observed with increased frequencyin alcohol abusers. In this retrospective study, we followed512 consecutive male patients who had sustained femoral neckfractures between 1984 and 1992; 82 of these 512 patients (16%)had earlier been registered at the Department of Alcohol Diseasesas high consumers of alcohol. The aim of the study was to determinethe relationship between the rate of healing complications andalcohol consumption. No differences were observed in the degreeof fracture dislocation, frequency of femoral head necrosis,and pseudoarthrosis among the abusers. Furthermore, no differenceswere found in causative events, primary operative treatment,post-operative complications, and the number of secondary operations.The abusers were significantly younger, had a higher rate ofearly retirement, and had an increased death rate. Our studysuggests that alcohol complicates the healing process to a lesserextent than earlier thought, and that osteonecrosis of the femoralhead after femoral neck fractures is equally conimon in non-abusersas in abusers.