Cadaveric dissection study (14 hips) mapping the precise extra- and intracapsular course of the MFCA terminal branches supplying the femoral head, using quantitative 360° clock-face measurements to define surgical danger zones and protective anatomical relationships.
When operating around the hip — whether fixing a femoral neck fracture, performing surgical dislocation, or doing FAI osteoplasty — the takeaway is that virtually all MFCA terminal branches enter the femoral head–neck junction posteriorly (80–86%), making posterior capsule preservation and careful posterior dissection the highest-yield maneuvers for protecting femoral head vascularity.
The IRA's elevated course within the inferior retinacula of Weitbrecht explains why some displaced femoral neck fractures retain partial femoral head perfusion, which has direct implications for shared decision-making about fixation versus arthroplasty in younger patients.
Cadaveric dissection study (14 hips) mapping the precise extra- and intracapsular course of the MFCA terminal branches supplying the femoral head, using quantitative 360° clock-face measurements to define surgical danger zones and protective anatomical relationships.
When operating around the hip — whether fixing a femoral neck fracture, performing surgical dislocation, or doing FAI osteoplasty — the takeaway is that virtually all MFCA terminal branches enter the femoral head–neck junction posteriorly (80–86%), making posterior capsule preservation and careful posterior dissection the highest-yield maneuvers for protecting femoral head vascularity.
The IRA's elevated course within the inferior retinacula of Weitbrecht explains why some displaced femoral neck fractures retain partial femoral head perfusion, which has direct implications for shared decision-making about fixation versus arthroplasty in younger patients.