Functional outcome, mortality and in-hospital complications of operative treatment in elderly patients with hip fractures in the developing world

Hip fracture has been increasing in frequency for several decades, and 70–90% of patients who sustain a hip fracture survive for at least one year. Many of these survivors fail to regain their prefracture functional status. No work in this regard has been done in the developing world. Elderly patients with acute intertrochanteric fracture and fracture of the femoral neck were followed up prospectively for 12 months after surgery to record the mortality, morbidity, functional status and complications. Three hundred and forty-five patients (61% female) were assessed at six and 12 months after surgery, which included 62.9% intertrochanteric fractures and 37% femoral neck fractures. The mechanism of injury was from a fall in 67% of the cases. Nineteen patients died within six months after surgery while another eight died during the next six months. Obesity, male gender, multiple comorbidities and below normal ambulation status before fracture were identified as major determinants of bad functional outcome.     

Functional outcomes and mortality vary among different types of hip fractures: a function of patient characteristics

A review of prospectively collected data was done to compare functional outcomes and mortality among patients with different hip fracture types. Five hundred thirty-seven elderly patients who sustained a hip fracture were followed up prospectively. Orthopaedists blinded to treatment and outcome radiographically classified the fractures as either: (1) nondisplaced or impacted femoral neck; (2) displaced femoral neck; (3) stable intertrochanteric; or (4) unstable intertrochanteric fracture. Functional independence measure scores were calculated for preinjury function and at 2- and 6- month follow-ups. Comorbidities, operative details, postoperative complications, and deaths were recorded. Six-month mortality was lowest for patients with nondisplaced femoral neck fractures (5.7%) and highest for patients with displaced femoral neck fractures (15.8%), but multivariate analysis only identified preinjury function as an independent predictor of mortality. All preinjury and followup functional independence measure scores were greatest for patients with nondisplaced femoral neck fractures and least for patients with unstable intertrochanteric fractures. However, multivariate analysis identified only patient age and preinjury functional independence measure scores as independent predictors of functional outcome. These data show differences in mortality and functional outcomes among fracture types that can be attributed to differences in functional status before injury.     

Survival and functional outcome according to hip fracture type: a one-year prospective cohort study in elderly women with an intertrochanteric or femoral neck fracture

We conducted a prospective study among elderly women with a first hip fracture to document survival and functional outcome and to determine whether outcomes differ by fracture type.

The design was a one-year prospective cohort study in the context of standard day-to-day clinical practice. The main outcome measures were survival and functional outcome, both at hospital discharge and 1 year later. Functional outcome was assessed using the Rapid Disability Rating Scale version-2.

Of the 170 women originally enrolled, 86 (51%) had an intertrochanteric and 84 (49%) a femoral neck fracture. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to median age (80 and 78 years, respectively), type and number of comorbidities and prefracture residence at the time of injury. At hospital discharge, intertrochanteric hip fracture patients had a higher mortality (p = 0.006) and were functionally more impaired (p = 0.005). One year later, mortality was still significantly higher after intertrochanteric fracture (relative risk 2.5; 95% confidence interval: 1.3 to 5.1; p = 0.008), but functional outcome among surviving patients was similar in both groups.

We conclude that intertrochanteric fractures are associated with increased mortality compared to femoral neck fractures. Functional outcome differs according to fracture type at hospital discharge, but these differences do not persist over time. These differences cannot be explained by differences in age or comorbidity. To address the mechanism(s) by which intertrochanteric fractures carry excess mortality compared to femoral neck fractures, future studies in hip fracture patients should include a comprehensive assessment of the degree of frailty, vitamin D status, and fall dynamics.     

Die Schenkelhalsfraktur beim alten Menschen – Bipolare Hemiendoprothese vs. Totalendoprothese

INTRODUCTION: In this study surgical risk and functional outcome of bipolar hemiarthroplasty and total hip replacement in elderly patients with femoral neck fractures were compared. METHODS: In a prospective study 54 patients with femoral neck fractures (median age: 80.5 years) were treated by implanting a total hip replacement (group I). Group II comprised 52 patients with 55 femoral neck fractures (median age: 81 years) who underwent bipolar hemiarthroplsty. Pre- and postoperative mobility and social history, perioperative parameters such as duration of surgery, blood loss, and number of transfused blood units as well as postoperative complications and mortality were compared. Function was ascertained by a scoring system. RESULTS: Duration of surgery, blood loss, and numbers of transfused blood units were significantly lower in group II, and mortality rate was lower. Postoperative mobility and medium-term functional score were comparable, whereas in the longer-term follow-up after 8 years group I had a significantly better functional score. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients with femoral neck fracture and high comorbidity, we recommend the implantation of hemiarthroplasty and in healthy, active patients with longer life expectancy the total hip replacement.     

Quality of life related to fracture displacement among elderly patients with femoral neck fractures treated with internal fixation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine differences in outcome between undisplaced (Garden I and II) and displaced (Garden III and IV) femoral neck fractures in elderly patients treated with internal fixation. SETTING: University hospital. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. PATIENTS: Ninety patients with an acute femoral neck fracture after a fall. The inclusion criteria were age older than sixty-five years, absence of severe cognitive dysfunction, independent living, and unhindered walking capability preoperatively. The mean follow-up was twenty-six months. INTERVENTION: The patients were treated with closed reduction and percutaneous internal fixation with two cannulated screws. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Fracture healing complications, pain (visual analogue scale), walking capability, activities of daily living, and quality of life according to EuroQol. RESULTS: The rate of fracture healing complications in displaced femoral neck fractures in patients available at the final follow-up was 36 percent compared with 7 percent in patients with undisplaced fractures. The quality of life, according to EuroQol, of patients with uneventfully healed fractures was significantly lower in patients with primarily displaced fractures (0.51) than in patients with undisplaced ones (0.76). CONCLUSION: There was a major difference in outcome on comparing undisplaced and displaced femoral neck fractures in elderly patients treated with internal fixation. The rate of fracture healing complications in patients with undisplaced fractures was low, and patients with healed fractures regained their prefracture quality of life level. The rate of fracture healing complications and reoperations in patients with displaced fractures was high, and even in patients with uneventfully healed fractures, there was a substantial decrease in the quality of life.     

Analysis of outcomes for surgically treated hip fractures in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis

BACKGROUND: Hip fractures in patients with end-stage renal disease are associated with frequent complications. This study analyzed clinical outcomes for patients on chronic hemodialysis who sustained hip fractures and were treated with a variety of fracture repair methods. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with thirty-two hip fractures were analyzed in three groups. Group 1 consisted of eleven hips in eleven patients with an intertrochanteric fracture that was treated with internal fixation; Group 2, thirteen hips in ten patients with a femoral neck fracture that was treated with screw fixation; and Group 3, eight hips in eight patients with a femoral neck fracture that was treated with hemiarthroplasty. The outcomes and early and late complications were recorded for each group. Survivorship analysis was performed, and the mortality and complication rates for the groups were compared. RESULTS: In Group 1, eight complications occurred in six hips and nonunion developed in five hips. In Group 2, sixteen complications developed in eleven hips. Union was achieved in two of the thirteen hips, nine hips had nonunion, and two hips had osteonecrosis develop. In Group 3, only one hip had early complications, there were no late complications, and three patients died. The mean duration of follow-up was twenty-three months, and the overall mortality rate was 45%. There were no significant differences among the groups with respect to the cumulative survival proportions. Regression analysis of age, sex, and total hemodialysis duration in relation to mortality risk revealed that only age had a significant influence on mortality (p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of hip fractures in patients with end-stage renal disease who are on chronic hemodialysis is associated with frequent complications and a high mortality rate. Osteosynthesis is an acceptable option for treating intertrochanteric fractures and nondisplaced femoral neck fractures, but displaced femoral neck fractures should be treated with hemiarthroplasty.     

Unipolar or bipolar hemiarthroplasty for femoral neck fractures in the elderly?

This prospective randomized trial compared the efficacy of unipolar versus bipolar hemiarthroplasty in elderly patients (> or = 65 years) with displaced femoral neck fractures in terms of quality of life and functional outcomes. One hundred fifteen patients with a mean age of 82.1 years were enrolled in this study and randomized to either unipolar or bipolar hemiarthroplasty. Quality of life and functional outcomes were assessed using the Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment instrument and Short Form-36 health survey. Seventy-eight patients completed 1 year of followup. There were no differences between the groups in estimated blood loss, length of hospital stay, mortality rate, number of dislocations, postoperative complications, or ambulatory status at 1 year. There also were no significant differences between the two groups at either point in postoperative Short Form-36 or Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment instrument scores. Results of this prospective randomized study suggest that the bipolar endoprosthesis provides no advantage in the treatment of displaced femoral neck fractures in elderly patients regarding quality of life and functional outcomes.     

A new intramedullary nail device for the treatment of intertrochanteric hip fractures: Perioperative experience

BACKGROUND: Traditional short nail fixation devices used for intertrochanteric (IT) fractures of the femur have several surgeon and patient benefits. However, these devices have had a high incidence of complications. A new intramedullary device designed to overcome these shortcomings has become commercially available. The goal of this study was to compare this intramedullary nail device with the traditional dynamic hip screw. METHOD: A prospective cohort study with 60 IT hip fractures was performed. Thirty patients treated with the trochanteric fixation nail (TFN) were compared with 30 patients treated with the dynamic hip screw (DHS) during the same time period. Implant selection was dictated by surgeon randomization. Primary outcomes planned for this study were immediate measures of operative blood loss, surgical time, and incidence of operative complications. Secondary outcome of return to preoperative ambulatory status was also recorded. Follow-up for secondary outcomes was conducted at an average of 6 months after surgery. Perioperative, functional, and radiologic outcome measures were collected. RESULT: No intra- or perioperative complications occurred with the new nail device. Operative time was 10 minutes shorter with TFN (50.7 minutes) compared with DHS (60.4 minutes). No Trendelenburg gait was noted in either group. No femur fractures or distal locking difficulties occurred in the TFN group. Twelve of 17 (71%) TFN patients returned to prefracture ambulation 6 months after surgery compared with only 6 of 18 (33%) DHS patients (p = 0.09). CONCLUSION: The rate of femoral fractures for short femoral nails was decreased compared with historical controls. Improved early mobilization was noted in TFN group.     

The nonoperative management of periprosthetic fractures associated with the Birmingham hip resurfacing procedure

We reviewed the outcome of 7 patients sustaining undisplaced femoral neck periprosthetic fractures associated with the Birmingham hip resurfacing procedure. All fractures presented within 4 months of initial surgery. All fractures were treated conservatively with a period of nonweight bearing. The 7 patients were assessed clinically and radiologically at a minimum of 16 months postfracture. All fractures had fully united. There was no evidence of impaired function or abnormal radiological findings after this conservative treatment strategy in 6 patients. One patient had marked femoral neck narrowing but no functional impairment.     

Quality of life and femoral neck fractures

The worldwide increase in hip fractures is a major challenge to the health care system and society. The proper treatment of femoral neck fractures in the elderly is still controversial, and even more so from an international perspective. Optimising the treatment for improved outcomes and a reduced need for secondary surgery is mandatory for humanitarian and economical reasons. The importance of incorporating the patient's perspective of the outcome in clinical trials has been acknowledged and there are now numerous instruments for assessing the quality of life. We evaluated two quality of life instruments, the EQ-5D and the SF-36, in patients with femoral neck fractures and also measured the quality of life two years after different interventions. The EQ-5D was validated in two prospective studies and it appeared to be an appropriate quality of life instrument in elderly patients with femoral neck fractures. There was a good correlation between the quality of life (EQ-5Dindexscores) and other outcome measures such as pain, mobility and independence in activities of daily living (ADL). The results also showed high responsiveness, i.e., ability to capture clinically important changes, for both the EQ-5D and the SF-36. The questionnaire response rate for both instruments was high. The rated prefracture EQ-5Dindexscores showed good correspondence with the scores of an age-matched Swedish reference population. The quality of life in patients with femoral neck fractures treated with internal fixation (IF) decreased, particularly in patients with fracture healing complications. The fracture healing complications rate at two years in patients with displaced femoral neck fractures treated with IF was 36% compared with 7% in patients with undisplaced fractures. The quality of life of patients with uneventfully healed fractures at two year was lower in patients with primary displaced fractures than in patients with primary undisplaced fractures. In a prospective randomised trial, patients with displaced femoral neck fractures were randomised to IF or total hip replacement (THR). IF resulted in more complications than THR, 36% versus 4%, and necessitated more reoperations, 42% versus 4%. Hip function and quality of life (EQ-5D) were generally better in the THR group. In summary, THR yielded a better outcome than IF for an elderly, relatively healthy, lucid patient with a displaced femoral neck fracture. In a study of elderly women with femoral neck fractures, nearly half of the patients displayed signs of protein-energy malnutrition. Underweight was associated with muscle fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and a low quality of life (Nottingham Health Profile). In a prospective randomised trial, protein-rich liquid supplementation in combination with an anabolic steroid given for 6 months to lean elderly women after a femoral neck fracture was shown to positively affect lean body mass, ADL and quality of life (EQ-5D). Fracture healing complications had a negative impact on body weight, lean body mass and quality of life.     

Non-operative treatment of impacted femoral neck fractures. A prospective study of 170 cases

In a prospective study, 170 impacted femoral neck fractures were treated by early mobilisation and weight-bearing. The overall mortality at one year was 16%. In the 167 patients who were followed up until fracture healing or secondary instability, 143 fractures (86%) united. Instability occurred only in patients over 70 years of age, and in younger patients with a short life expectancy. Stepwise logistic regression analysis indicated that poor general health and old age (over 70 years) were risk factors. None of the other variables, such as the Garden index, Pauwels' type, and time to full weight-bearing had any influence on the development of secondary instability. Delayed operation after secondary instability caused no increase in mortality, nonunion or avascular necrosis. Functional treatment of all patients with impacted femoral neck fractures seems therefore to be justified.     

不同手术方法治疗中老年移位型股骨颈骨折的疗效分析

目的评价不同手术方法治疗中老年移位型股骨颈骨折的疗效。方法回顾性分析2006年1月至2009年6月收治的80例分别采用内固定（A组,25例）、人工股骨头置换（B组,27例）及全髋关节置换（C组,28例）手术治疗的中老年移位型股骨颈骨折患者资料,分析比较其住院时间、手术时间、术中出血量、术后并发症、术后Harris评分总分及分类评分等指标。结果 A组手术时间最短,术中出血量最少,C组手术时间最长,术中出血量最多;A组术后并发症发生率较B、C组高;随访结果B组Harris评分最低,C组最高;分类评分中C组的疼痛评分较B组高;功能评分C组最高,B组最低,以上差异均有统计学意义。A组、B组、C组住院时间差异及三组患者间的行走评分、活动度评分差异均无统计学意义。结论空心加压螺钉内固定适于相对年轻,骨质条件好,伤前活动能力较好且术后能耐受晚期负重的中年患者,全髋置换适于外伤前身体状况良好、术前活动量多、预期寿命较长或已有髋关节疾病的老年患者,人工股骨头置换适于一般情况较差、有较严重内科合并症但术前评估能耐受一般手术的患者。     

Herzchirurgie im Alter

Due to demographic changes in average life expectancy, the age of patients undergoing cardiac surgery is increasing. We have reviewed the literature to analyse whether and how far octogenarians benefit from cardiac surgical procedures. Different studies analysed the outcome of patients in different age groups after cardiac surgery. Octogenarians can undergo cardiac surgical procedures at a reasonable risk. The perioperative mortality and other postoperative complications are strongly dependent on comorbidities rather than on patients' age. Elderly patients benefit from improved functional status and quality of life.     

Management of unruptured cerebral aneurysms in patients with polycystic kidney disease

BACKGROUND: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a hereditary disorder characterized by bilateral multiple renal cysts and early onset chronic renal failure. PKD patients tend to suffer their subarachnoid hemorrhage at a younger age. Unruptured aneurysms in PKD patients are not always innocuous, and proactive treatment has been indicated for these lesions. However, the management of PKD patients undergoing unruptured cerebral aneurysm surgery has been documented on only a few occasions. The purpose of this study was to better define the management of unruptured cerebral aneurysms in patients with PKD. METHODS: We present a retrospective review of the management of unruptured cerebral aneurysms in 16 patients with PKD. Eight patients were maintained through chronic hemodialysis whereas the remaining 8 patients did not require hemodialysis, at the time of treatment of their cerebral aneurysms. The mean follow-up period was 24 months. RESULTS: In the nonhemodialysis patients prophylactic hemodialysis was routinely performed after cerebral angiography to prevent deterioration of the pre-existing renal dysfunction. Microsurgical clipping of the aneurysm was performed in 15 patients (7 nonhemodialysis and 8 hemodialysis patients) and intravascular coil embolization was performed in 1 nonhemodialysis patient. One nonhemodialysis patient who underwent microsurgical clipping required a temporary hemodialysis after surgery, but the patient was not shifted to chronic hemodialysis. No patients developed postprocedural complications, and each showed an excellent recovery. CONCLUSION: PKD patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms can be safely treated with an appropriate treatment strategy including the use of prophylactic hemodialysis.     

Ender nailing of pertrochanteric fractures. Results at follow-up evaluation after one year

One hundred twenty-seven patients with pertrochanteric femoral fractures were transfixed with the Ender nail. The mean age of the patients was 78.9 years. Thirty-five percent of the fractures were of the stable type, and 65% were of the unstable type. All patients had clinical and radiologic follow-up examinations every three months for one year. Successful closed reduction was achieved in 97.6% of the patients. Perioperative supracondylar femoral fractures occurred in two patients. The overall stay in hospital was 19 days. Technical failures occurred early in five patients, and late manifestations of major technical failures occurred in four patients. The average time to fracture union was 18 weeks. The primary mortality rate was 7%. From one to 12 months, the mortality rate increased to 15%. Of the 108 patients surviving the first year, 86% regained their prefracture activity-of-daily-living status. Ninety-six percent of the surviving patients returned to their prefracture residence, a very satisfactory outcome of a condition often observed as a terminal illness.     

骨水泥型半髋置换治疗高龄股骨颈骨折的疗效分析

目的探讨骨水泥型半髋置换治疗高龄股骨颈骨折患者的临床疗效。方法回顾性分析在我院骨科接受手术治疗的21例高龄股骨颈骨折患者,平均年龄84岁。术前按Garden分型,Ⅲ型14例;Ⅳ型7例。所有患者均采用骨水泥型半髋置换治疗。结果患者手术时间平均为60 min,术后均无神经、血管损伤和假体周围骨折等并发症发生。术后随访6～24个月,平均14个月,按Harris评分标准进行功能评定:优16例,良3例,可2例,优良率90.5%。结论骨水泥型人工半髋置换手术治疗高龄股骨颈骨折创伤小;术后髋关节功能恢复良好;可早期下床活动;明显提高患者术后生活质量;临床效果满意。     

三种术式治疗老年股骨颈骨折的疗效比较

目的 通过比较内固定、人工股骨头置换(FHA)及全髋关节置换(THR)治疗老年股骨颈骨折的疗效,探讨老年股骨颈骨折的术式选择. 方法在1999年1月至2007年8月所收治的老年股骨颈骨折患者中,选择年龄、骨折类型、受伤时间及全身情况相似而治疗方式不同的三组共182例患者,其中内固定组42例,Garden分型:Ⅰ型2例,Ⅱ型8例,Ⅲ型17例,Ⅳ型15例;FHA组64例,Garden分型:Ⅱ型16例,Ⅲ型34例,Ⅳ型14例;THR组76例,Garden分型:Ⅱ型19例,Ⅲ型37例,Ⅳ型20例.对三组患者的手术时间、术中出血量、住院时间、扶双拐下地时间、术后并发症、再手术率及关节功能优良率等进行统计学比较. 结果 182例患者术后获25～65个月(平均38个月)随访.内固定组手术时间最短、术中出血量最少,FHA组次之,THR组手术时间最长、术中出血量最多,三组之间比较差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05).住院时间三组之间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05).与内固定组比较,FHA组与THR组扶双拐下地时间较短[分别为(7.0±0.8)d,(8.0±0.7)d]、术后并发症发生率较低(10.9%,10.5%)、再手术率较低(7.8%,5.3%)、关节功能优良率较高(85.9%,89.5%),差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05),而FHA组与THR组之间比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05). 结论对于老年股骨颈骨折患者,FHA和THR具有扶双拐下地时间短、术后并发症少、再手术率低及关节功能恢复好等优点,适合于年龄>65岁的Garden Ⅲ、Ⅳ型股骨颈骨折患者;而内固定术具有手术时间短、术中出血少的优点,可作为年龄>60岁的Garden Ⅰ、Ⅱ型股骨颈骨折患者的治疗首选.     

Femoral Neck and Intertrochanteric Fractures Have Different Risk Factors: A Prospective Study

The aim of this study was to determine whether both types of hip fracture, femoral neck and intertrochanteric, have similar risk factors. A prospective cohort study was carried out on community-dwelling elderly women in four areas of the United States: Baltimore, MD; Pittsburgh, PA; Minneapolis, MN and Portland, OR. The participants were 9704 Caucasian women, 65 years and older, of whom 279 had fractured their femoral neck and 222 had fractured their trochanteric region of the proximal femur. The predictors used were the bone mass of the calcaneus and proximal femur, anthropometry, history of fracture (family and personal), medication use, functional status, physical activity and visual function. The main outcome measures were femoral neck and intertrochanteric fractures occurring during an average of 8 years of follow-up. In multivariate proportional hazards models, several risk factors increased the risk of both types of hip fracture; including femoral neck bone density and increased functional difficulty. In hazard regression models that directly compared risk factors for the two types of hip fracture, calcaneal bone mineral density (BMD) predicted femoral neck fractures more strongly than intertrochanteric fractures (OR = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.02–1.31). Steroid use and impaired functional status also predicted femoral neck fractures instead of intertrochanteric fractures. Poor health status (OR = 0.74; 95% CI = 0.55–1.00) predicted intertrochanteric fractures more strongly than femoral neck fractures. We conclude that femoral neck fractures are largely predicted by BMD and poor functional ability while aging and poor health status predispose to intertrochanteric fractures. Received: 8 February 2000 / Accepted: 10 June 2000     

The treatment of femoral neck fractures: results using cephalocervical screws with sliding mechanism

Background

A new device for the treatment of femoral neck fractures that uses 2 cephalocervical screws in a sliding mechanism allowing linear intraoperative and postoperative compression has been developed. The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the results using this device for the treatment of stable and unstable femoral neck fractures.

Methods

Between November 2007 and November 2011, 61 consecutive skeletally mature patients with femoral neck fractures were treated with a new cephalocervical screw (Dual SC screw; KISCO DIR Co., Ltd., Kobe). All contactable patients were followed up for a minimum of 16 weeks postoperatively (range 16–123 weeks). Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed at the final evaluation. Healing and return to activities of daily living were used to evaluate outcomes.

Results

There were 51 women and 10 men with a mean age of 80.8 years (range, 41–99). The average of surgical time was 33.1 min (21–66 min). One patient died, one was too infirm for follow-up, and eleven could not be located, leaving 48 patients available for final evaluation (78.7 %). The overall incidence of nonunion was 10.4 %. Fracture nonunion was less common for undisplaced fractures than for displaced fractures (1 of 21 [4.8 %] vs. 4 of 27 [14.8 %]). The mean amount of collapse of the neck was 5.45 mm (3.92 mm in undisplaced and 6.64 mm in displaced). Radiographic analysis at final evaluation revealed no implant failures. 62.5 % of the patients recovered their prefracture status.

Conclusion

The Dual SC screw device appears to be a reliable implant for the treatment of femoral neck fractures. Its design contributes to overcome the implant failures such as a medial migration, cut-out, or back-out; besides, the union rate of this implant was considered superior to that of existing systems. If the early shortening of the neck occurs after this surgery, the surgeons should be considered to keep them partially weight bearing or choose a replacement procedure for such patients.