Prosthetic care of proximal femur fractures

The endoprosthetic replacement of the hip joint or its components in fractures of the proximal femur is a standard method. Indications for replacement are strongly dislocated intracapsular femoral neck fractures in elderly patients, fractures with an existing arthritis of the hip joint, and profound osteoporosis. Improved perioperative management and more gentle anesthetic techniques have helped to reduce perioperative mortality from nearly 50% to 11.5% over the last 40 years. As routine treatment options, the bipolar endoprosthesis without replacement of the acetabular joint surface and total hip replacement in case of degenerative arthritis of the acetabular joint surface are commonly used. The mere replacement of the femoral head with a simple femoral head prosthesis should be reserved for exceptional cases. For the implantation of a hip joint prosthesis and its uncomplicated post-treatment and long-term durability, careful preoperative planning is essential together with the selection of a suitable implant, its optimal bony fixation, avoidance of intra-operative complications and restoration of the anatomical landmarks such as the centre of rotation of the hip joint, the offset of the prosthetic shaft as well as leg length. Despite the high standard of endoprosthetics in Germany, the results are still improvable in comparison to other countries. Measures which preserve the joint as well as the bone will be increasingly important in prophylaxis of further complications. In addition, more attention should be paid to the prophylaxis of falls and a sufficiently guide-lined therapy of osteoporosis for the prophylaxis of fractures of the elderly.