Which surgical option is used for hip fracture repair?

• A. Pins & plates
• B. Buck's traction
• C. Skeletal traction
• D. External cast

Answer: (A)

Stabilizing a hip fracture surgically relies on internal fixation that holds the broken pieces in proper alignment so the bone can heal while you’re able to move. Using pins and plates achieves this by attaching a plate along the bone with screws, sometimes supplemented with pins, to press the fracture fragments together and keep them in correct position as healing occurs. This provides rigid stabilization across the hip region, enabling early movement and weight bearing for many fracture patterns.

Buck’s traction and skeletal traction are primarily temporary methods that use a pulling force to align or relieve pain; they don’t provide definitive fixation for long-term stability. An external cast isn’t suitable for hip fractures because a cast cannot adequately stabilize the proximal femur or allow early weight bearing.