A brief history of internal fixation of femoral neck fracture

Abstract

In 1858, a German surgeon named Von Langenbeck did the first internal fixation of femoral neck fracture (FNF) with metal silver screw. In 1875, a German doctor Franz K?nig did the same operation successfully with metal screws under antiseptic condition. In 1883, an American surgeon, Nicholass Senn suggested that all of the FNF should be treated by operation, but the proposition was not accepted extensively. In 1931, Smith-Petersen from the USA and his colleagues first published the report on the result of open reduction and internal fixation of FNF by the use of trifin nail. Due to the help of auxiliary appliance designed separately by the Swedish Sven Johansson (1932) and American H. Heyward Wescott (1934). In 1941, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) advocated the technique of trifin nail for its internal fixation. However, in 1976, the British Medical Research Council pointed out that the trifin nail was not suitable for the displaced FNF. The Asnis cannulated screws appeared in 1980, that is still in use today. In the 1940s, Chi-mao Meng and Yan-qing Ye started to treat FNF with trifin nail. In 1989, Jie Wei cured the FNF with cannulated screws produced by AO company first, which was extensively applied nationwide soon.