The Missing Piece: A Subtrochanteric Hip Fracture Presenting with Abdominal Pain: A Case Report.

CASE: A 33-year-old man presented with acute abdominal and left hip pain after being struck by a motor vehicle. Radiographs revealed a comminuted left subtrochanteric femoral fracture. Computed tomography demonstrated a large pelvic hematoma and a radiopaque mass in the abdomen. Laparoscopy revealed the mass to be a large bone fragment lying within the greater omentum. The bone fragment, which seemed to be a femoral fracture fragment, was removed, and the fracture was repaired with a short cephalomedullary nail.

CONCLUSION

Rarely, subtrochanteric fracture fragments can penetrate the pelvis or abdomen because of high-energy trauma. Recognizing this possibility is important to assure a correct diagnosis and subsequent treatment.