Delbet Classification (Pediatric Femoral Neck)

Delbet (Delbet-Colonna) classification (Colonna 1929) of a pediatric femoral neck / proximal femur fracture (types I-IV), by the anatomic level of the fracture line.

Open the calculator → Runs in your browser. Data leaves only if you deliberately send a problem report from the interactive tool.

Example

Delbet type
Type I - transepiphyseal

Result: Delbet type I: transepiphyseal (separation of the proximal femoral epiphysis); the highest risk of avascular necrosis and the worst long-term outcomes.

The tool opens with these values already filled in. Replace them with your own.

What the result means

Type I
Transepiphyseal (proximal femoral epiphysis separation); the highest AVN risk, worst outcomes.
Type II
Transcervical (mid femoral neck); the most common type, with a high AVN risk.
Type III
Cervicotrochanteric / basicervical (base of the neck); lower AVN risk.
Type IV
Intertrochanteric (between the trochanters); the lowest AVN risk.

What you enter

  • Delbet type
How this is calculated

Colonna PC. Fracture of the neck of the femur in children. Am J Surg. 1929;6:793-797. Osteonecrosis risk by fracture location: Spence D, DiMauro JP, Miller PE, et al. J Pediatr Orthop. 2016;36(2):111-116. Read the source ↗

A reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice, and not a substitute for clinician judgment.

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Built by Clay Good. Source on GitHub.