Value of Washers in Internal Fixation of Femoral Neck Fractures With Cancellous Screws

Abstract

The addition of washers increased the maximum insertion torque of cancellous screws in the proximal femur by 65% in this study. Washers prevent the screw heads from penetrating the lateral cortex at low insertion torque loads, and thereby provide for an improved purchase of the screws in the femoral head with a higher maximum insertion torque. We advocate for routine washer use and encourage future clinical studies to further understand the correlation between their use and improved outcomes in this patient population.