The Daily Life Functions of Elderly Peritrochanteric Fracture Patients after Surgical Treatment

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Although most peritrochanteric fractures in old age necessitates surgical treatment, daily life functions are still impaired after discharge. We assessed the types of peritrochanteric fracture, risk factors, and functional recovery in elderly patients who were over 65 years old. We also tried to determine factors for recovery to daily life. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2006 to December 2007, among 61 patients who were over 65 years old with the possibility of 1 year follow-up, 50 patients were selected through interviews. After verifying age, sex, mode, types of fracture, and method, we analyzed daily living activities with a functional recovery index and estimated recovery of daily life functions after surgery, assuming a score increase if functional recovery was good. RESULTS: The mean age was 75.8 years, and females (31 patients, 62%) exceeded males. Slipping (27 patients, 54%) was the most common cause of fracture, and the intertrochanteric femur fracture was the most common fracture type (34, 68%). The average functional recovery index decreased 16.24% compared with the pre-operation value, having a tendency to decrease more in old age and female patients. Subtrochanteric femur fracture showed a 17.6% decrease in functional recovery index among the fracture types. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients over 65 years, the functional recovery index after peritrochanteric fracture decreased 16.24% on average compared with the preoperation state. The largest decrease was in basic life ability. The functional recovery index decreased more in old age, females, and subtrochanteric femur fracture, which indicates these factors influence functional recovery.