Femoral head size is correlated with head position in very elderly patients

Abstract Background In cases of femoral neck fracture, it is often not possible to accurately determine the original position of the head center to assess appropriate restoration of leg length. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of predicting the position of the femoral head center based on new and established correlations between the femoral head diameter and the distance between the lesser trochanter and the femoral head center (LT-FHC) in the very elderly (aged ≥80 years) as the mainly affected but yet under-investigated group. Methods The femoral head diameter (FHD) and the LT-FHC distance were determined in 148 subjects (104 males, 44 females); 90 aged ≥80 years and 58 aged