Nine-year functional nonunion of a femoral neck stress fracture: treatment with internal fixation and fibular graft. A case report.

Open reduction and internal fixation utilizing a full thickness fibular graft was performed on a patient who presented with a 9-year-old functional nonunion of a femoral neck stress fracture. During this period, the patient had remained fully ambulatory, with intermittent episodes of hip pain. Our experience indicates that the treatment of old, nonunited stress fractures of the femoral neck with a fibular bone graft and internal fixation contributes to a successful result, lending support while stimulating osteogenesis as the nonunion heals. Use of rigid internal fixation will eliminate motion at the site of the fracture, enhancing incorporation of the bone graft and, thereby, speeding the patient's recovery.