Independently mobile older adults with hip fractures may benefit from a total hip replacement instead of hemiarthroplasty.Traction is contraindicated in femoral neck fractures due to it affecting blood flow to the head of the femur.The latest evidence suggests that there may be little or no difference between screws and fixed angle plates as internal fixation implants for intracapsular hip fractures in older adults. The findings are based on low quality evidence that cant firmly conclude major difference in hip function, quality of life, and additional surgery. Trochanteric fracture
A trochanteric fracture, below the neck of the femur, has a good chance of healing. Closed reduction may not be satisfactory and open reduction then becomes necessary. The use of open reduction has been reported as 8-13% among pertrochanteric fractures, and 52% among intertrochanteric fractures. Both intertrochanteric and pertrochanteric fractures may be treated by a dynamic hip screw and plate, or an intramedullary rod.The fracture typically takes 3–6 months to heal. As it is only common in elderly, removal of the dynamic hip screw is usually not recommended to avoid unnecessary risk of second operation and the increased risk of re-fracture after implant removal. The most common cause for hip fractures in the elderly is osteoporosis; if this is the case, treatment of the osteoporosis can well reduce the risk of further fracture. Only young patients tend to consider having it removed; the implant may function as a stress riser, increasing the risk of a break if another accident occurs.
The benefits of giving blood when the hemoglobin is less than 10 g/dL versus less than 8 g/dL are not clear. Waiting until the hemoglobin was less than 8 g/dL or the person had symptoms may increase the risk of heart problems.If operative treatment is refused or the risks of surgery are considered to be too high the main emphasis of treatment is on pain relief. Skeletal traction may be considered for long-term treatment. Aggressive chest physiotherapy is needed to reduce the risk of pneumonia and skilled rehabilitation and nursing to avoid pressure sores and DVT/pulmonary embolism Most people will be bedbound for several months. Non-operative treatment is now limited to only the most medically unstable or demented patients or those who are nonambulatory at baseline with minimal pain during transfers.Surgery on the same day or day following the break is estimated to reduce postoperative mortality in people who are medically stable. Intracapsular fractures
For low-grade fractures (Garden types 1 and 2), standard treatment is fixation of the fracture in situ with screws or a sliding screw/plate device. This treatment can also be offered for displaced fractures after the fracture has been reduced.Fractures managed by closed reduction can possibly be treated by percutaneously inserted screws.In elderly patients with displaced or intracapsular fractures many surgeons prefer to undertake a hemiarthroplasty, replacing the broken part of the bone with a metal implant. However, in elderly people who are medically well and still active, a total hip replacement may be indicated.