ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the rate of mortality for the elderly patients after treatment of hip fractures and analyze the associated risk factors which might affect their mortality rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: About the clinical records on 305 patients who had undergone the treatment in hip fractures, we evaluated the mortality rate of the total number of 248 patients whose age between 70 and 103 who were followed more than 12 months of period between March 1994 and March 2003. The mean age was 81.3 years. The composition of each female and male were 176 and 72 cases respectively. 99 cases were femoral neck fractures, and 149 cases were femoral intertrochanteric fractures. The operation included bipolar hemiarthroplasty and internal fixation using multiple cannulated screws, compression hip screws and Ender nails. We compared and analyzed the relating factors for the mortality rate. RESULTS: The mean postoperative mortality rate was 14.1% (35 cases). The highest mortality rate showed for the postoperative 3 months which was 57.1% (20 cases), between 4 and 6 months was 25.7% (9 cases), and 17.1% (6 cases) were presented for 7 and 12 months. The postoperative mortality rate within 1 year was affected by underlying diseases, ASA (American society of Anesthesiologists) and cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty. but, there were no significant difference of the other factors such as the age, gender, osteoporosis and delayed operation. CONCLUSION: The variable factors which affect the mortality rate of the hip fractures in the elderly patients whose age over 70 were mostly determined by underlying diseases, ASA grade, and cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty. Further study should be necessary for the factors influencing on the mortality rate.