13 research outputs found
Dislocation of total hip replacement in patients with fractures of the femoral neck: A prospective cohort study of 713 consecutive hips
Background Total hip replacement is increasingly used in active, relatively healthy elderly patients with fractures of the femoral neck. Dislocation of the prosthesis is a severe complication, and there is still controversy regarding the optimal surgical approach and its influence on stability. We analyzed factors influencing the stability of the total hip replacement, paying special attention to the surgical approach
Quality of life and femoral neck fractures
The worldwide increase of hip fractures is a major challenge for the
health care system and society. The treatment of femoral neck fractures
in the elderly is still controversial, and even more so from an
international perspective. Optimising the treatment for improved outcome
and a reduced need for secondary surgery is mandatory for humanitarian
and economical reasons. The importance of incorporating the patients's
perspective of outcome in clinical trials is 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.
In two prospective studies the EQ-5D was validated 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-5D index scores) 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-5D index scores 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, particulary 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 to 7% in patients with undisplaced fractures. The quality of
life of patients with uneventfully healed fractures at two year was
significantly lower in patients with primarily displaced fractures
compared with patients with undisplaced fractures.
In a prospective randomised trial patients with displaced femoral neck
fractures were randomised to IF or a total hip replacement (THR). The
failure rate after two years was higher in the IF group compared with the
THR group with regard to hip complications, 36% and 4%, and the number of
reoperated patients, 42% and 4%. Hip function and quality of life (EQ-5D)
were generally better in the THR group. In summary, THR provided 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 almost half of
the patients displayed signs of protein-energy malnutrition. Underweight
was associated with muscle fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and low quality
of life (Nottingham Health Profile, NHP).
In a prospective randomised trial protein rich liquid supplementation in
combination with an anabolic steroid given during 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
Extramedullary fixation of 569 unstable intertrochanteric fractures: a randomized multicenter trial of the Medoff sliding plate versus three other screw-plate systems
We compared the efficacy of the Medoff sliding plate (MSP) with 3 other screw-plate systems for fixation of unstable intertrochanteric fractures in a randomized multicenter trial of 569 elderly patients. The MSP has biaxial dynamic capacity along both the neck and the shaft of the femur unlike the other systems, which lack dynamic capacity along the shaft. 268 fractures were operated on with the MSP, and 301 with the dynamic hip screw (DHS), with or without a trochanteric stabilizing plate (DHS/TSP) or with the dynamic condylar screw (DCS). The MSP had recently been shown to the surgeons.The patients in the groups were similar as regards age, domestic situation, preinjury walking ability and type of fracture. We followed the patients clinically and radiographically for at least 1 year. There was no significant difference in walking ability at follow-up or rate of return to home. Fixation failure occurred in 18/268 fractures operated on with the MSP, in 8/238 with the DHS, in 3/49 with the DHS/TSP and in 1/14 with the DCS. The difference in the rate of fixation failure was not statistically significant when the MSP group was compared to the 3 other groups. In 14 of the 18 fixation failures in the MSP group, the biaxial dynamic capacity of the MSP had not been used due to technical errors by surgeons, unfamiliar with the new method. No selection bias was found regarding fracture types in the 2 subgroups of patients with correct or inadequate biaxial dynamization. Extramedullary fixation of unstable intertrochanteric fractures with these implants showed a low failure rate. When using the MSP, biaxial dynamization must be correctly performed