Precise knowledge of the vascular supply of the femoral head is critical when contemplating surgery around the femoral head and neck junction. To determine the blood supply to the femoral neck, 2417 nutrient foramina from 76 cadaveric specimens were analyzed based on size, number, and distribution. Within the subcapital, transcervical, and basicervical regions of the femoral neck, the largest numbers of nutrient foramina were found on the superior (lateral) surface, followed by the anterior and posterior surfaces, and then the inferior (medial) surface (all p < 0.001). The diameters of most of the nutrient foramina were less than 1 mm. For the posterior and superior surfaces, the nutrient foramina in the basicervical region were significantly larger than those within the transcervical or subcapital regions (nutrient foramina >2 mm posteriorly: 23.6, 12.7, and 9.0 % in the basicervical, transcervical, and subcapital regions, respectively; superiorly: 23.7 vs. 15.4 vs. 16.8 %, respectively). In conclusion, neither the anterior nor the inferior surfaces in the basicervical, transcervical, and subcapital regions showed any significant differences in nutrient foraminal size. The areas containing densely distributed nutrient foramina were consistent with the regions covered by the retinacula of Weitbrecht.

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Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the risk factors for limb fracture non-union in order to improve non-union prevention and early detection.Methods: A total of 223 patients with non-union after surgery for limb fractures performed at our institution from January 2005 to June 2017 were included as the case group, while a computer-generated random list was created to select 446 patients with successful bone healing after surgery for limb fractures who were treated during the same period as the control group, thus achieving a ratio of 1:2. The medical records of these patients were reviewed retrospectively. Age, sex, body mass index, obesity, smoking, alcohol, diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, fracture type, multiple fractures, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) use, delayed weight bearing, internal fixation failure, and infection data were analyzed and compared between the two groups. A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed to determine relevant factors associated with non-union.Results: After comparison between two groups by univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression, we found some risk factors associated that osteoporosis (odds ratio [OR] = 3.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.05–4.89, p &lt; 0.001), open fracture (OR = 2.71, 95%CI: 1.72–4.27, p &lt; 0.001), NSAIDs use (OR = 2.04, 95%CI: 1.24–3.37, p = 0.005), delayed weight bearing (OR = 1.72, 95%CI: 1.08–2.74, p = 0.023), failed internal fixation (OR = 5.93, 95%CI: 2.85–12.36, p &lt; 0.001), and infection (OR = 6.77, 95%CI: 2.92–15.69, p &lt; 0.001) were independent risk factors for non-union after surgery for limb fractures.Conclusions: Osteoporosis, open fracture type, NSAIDs use, delayed weight bearing, failed internal fixation, and infection were found to be the main causes of bone non-union; clinicians should, therefore, take targeted measures to intervene in high-risk groups early.

BackgroundA detailed understanding of the blood supply to the femoral head is required to plan the surgery in the femoral neck and head area. However, information about the blood vessel networks in the femoral head is inadequate.MethodsThe surface of the femoral neck of 100 dry cadaveric adult femur specimens was scanned using a 3D scanner. The scanning distance was 200 mm, precision 0.01 mm, and measuring point 0.04 mm. The images were acquired at a resolution of 1,310,000 pixels. Digital imaging data were recorded from the femoral neck surface. The diameters of the nutrient foramina of the superior, inferior and anterior retinacular arteries, and the ligamentum teres arteries were determined and divided into five groups.ResultsThe mean cumulative cross-sectional area of the nutrient foramina was as follows: canals of the superior, inferior, anterior, and ligamentum retinacular arteries were 15.59 mm2, 3.63 mm2, 4.32 mm2, and 1.58 mm2, respectively. Next, we analyzed the canals of the superior, inferior, anterior and ligamentum retinacular arteries, respectively, via 3D scanner. We found that the canals of the superior retinacular arteries appear to supply more blood to the femoral head than the canals of the other three types of arteries.ConclusionsOur results demonstrated that surgeries of the femoral neck and femoral head will be improved with prior 3D scanning and lead to better outcomes in surgeries involving the hip area.