Profile of Proximal Femur Fractures in Adults Under 50 Years at University of Uyo Teaching Hospital

Proximal femur fractures in adults below 50 years of age are typically high-energy injuries associated with road traffic accidents, falls from heights, and occupational trauma, distinct in aetiology from the fragility fractures seen in the elderly population. This retrospective descriptive study profiles the incidence, mechanism, management, and outcomes of proximal femur fractures in adults aged 18 to 49 years presenting at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Akwa Ibom State, South South Nigeria, over a four-year period. Hospital records will be reviewed for fracture classification (femoral neck, intertrochanteric, subtrochanteric), injury mechanism, AO/OTA classification, surgical management received, post-operative complications, and functional outcome at one year. Descriptive frequencies and proportions will characterise the injury profile. The study hypothesises that high-energy road traffic accidents constitute the principal mechanism, and that avascular necrosis is a significant complication in neck of femur fractures in this age group. Findings will be reported to the orthopaedic department at UUTH and to the Akwa Ibom State Transport Commission to support road safety policy. This study provides important epidemiological data on high-energy proximal femur fractures in a demographic that is economically productive and for whom outcomes have major implications for household and community welfare. Keywords: proximal femur fractures, young adults, avascular necrosis, UUTH, Akwa Ibom.