A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME OF UNSTABLE INTER-TROCHANTERIC FRACTURES IN THE ELDERLY TREATED WITH BIPOLAR HEMI-ARTHROPLASTY AND DYNAMIC HIP SCREW FIXATION – A SHORT TERM PROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

    Proximal femoral fractures in the elderly individuals have a tremendous impact on both the  health  care  system and society. It occurs with both mild and moderate  trauma. During an impact, the large amount  of  energy that is released is absorbed by the skin, fat, and  muscles which surrounds the hip. There is an increased incidence of hip fractures with aging due to decrease in muscle mass around the hip and osteoporosis. This is becoming more common as the proportion of elderly people in the population has been steadily increasing. Nearly half of all hip fractures are of the inter-  trochanteric variant. For over about 3  decades,  fixation  with the DHS device had been the gold standard treatment for stable inter-trochanteric fractures, there are many complications reported for  unstable  inter-trochanteric fractures (3 to 26%). In order to avoid imposing multiple surgeries in these elderly patients, treatment should aim at improving their function, quality of life and reduce fracturerates which shall  entail further surgery.