Medial fractures of the femoral neck in the elderly treated by SEM bipolar prosthesis

• Published in: Chirurgia degli organi di movimento Vol. 81; no. 2; p. 173
• Main Authors: Goretti, C, Cirilli, M, Soldati, D, Rizquallah, J, Marri, C, Musacchi, G, Guerra, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Italian
• Published: Italy 01.04.1996
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Femoral Neck Fractures - diagnostic imaging; Femoral Neck Fractures - surgery; Femur Neck - diagnostic imaging; Femur Neck - surgery; Follow-Up Studies; Hip Prosthesis; Humans; Intraoperative Complications - epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications - epidemiology; Prosthesis Design; Radiography
• ISSN: 0009-4749

The authors present 335 cases of medical fracture of the femoral neck in the elderly patient (mean age 80.5 years) treated by SEM type bipolar prosthesis. A total of 93 patients (28.3%) were followed-up for a total of 98 hips submitted to surgery (5 bilateral) after a mean period of 42 months, minimum 12 months, maximum 96. Clinical follow-up included these parameters: pain, movement, walking, according to Merle D'Aubigné. Radiographic follow-up consisted in standard views and maximum adduction and abduction. Pain was present in 49% of cases, although it did not significantly invalidate movement (quotients 6 and 5 in 96% of cases); in 60% of the cases there were problems with walking mostly due to the general conditions of the patient. Wear phenomena in the acetabulum were present in 32 hips (32.6%) with no correlation with clinical data. Dynamic x-rays showed that only 31% of the implants maintained intraprosthetic movement. What emerges from the study is the importance of adequate measurement of the prosthetic cupola to improve acetabular fit.