Hip fracture surgeries

Definition

Hip fracture surgeries are procedures that repair a break in the upper part of the thigh bone. The thigh bone is called the femur, and it is part of the hip joint.

See also: Hip pain

Alternative Names

Inter-trochanteric fracture repair; Subtrochanteric fracture repair; Femoral neck fracture repair; Trochanteric fracture repair; Hip pinning surgery

Description

You may receive general anesthesia before this surgery. This means you will be unconscious and unable to feel pain. You may have spinal anesthesia. In this kind of anesthesia, medicine is put into your back to make you numb below your waist.

The type of surgery you have will depend what kind of fracture you have.

If your fracture is in the neck of your femur (the part just below the top of the bone) you may have a hip pinning procedure. In this surgery:

• You will lie on a special table that allows your surgeon to use an x-ray machine to see how well the parts of your hip bone line up.
• Your surgeon will make a small incision (cut) on the side of your thigh. Then your surgeon will put in special screws to hold the bones in their correct position.

If you have an inter-trochanteric fracture (the area below the femur neck), your surgeon will use a special metal plate and special compression screws to repair it. Often more than 1 piece of bone is broken in this type of fracture. In this surgery:

• You will lie on a special table that allows your surgeon to use an x-ray machine to see how well the parts of your hip bone line up.
• Your surgeon will make an incision (cut) on the side of your thigh. The metal plate will be attached with 4 to 8 small screws.
• This surgery usually takes less than 1 hour.

Your surgeon may use hemiarthroplasty to treat your fractured hip if there is concern your hip will not heal well using one of the procedures above. Hemiarthroplasty replaces the ball part of your hip joint. See also: Hip joint replacement

Risks

Older adults have a greater chance of fracturing a hip because of other conditions they may have. Some conditions that increase the risk of hip fracture are osteoporosis, dizziness or problems with balance, weak muscles, poor eyesight, brain disorders, and taking medicines that may cause problems.

Ask your doctor about these risks:

• Avascular necrosis. This is when the blood supply in part of the femur is cut off for a period of time. This can cause part of the bone to die off.
• Injury to nerves or blood vessels
• Parts of your hip bone may not join together at all or in the correct position.
• Blood clots in your legs or your lungs
• Mental confusion (dementia): Many people who fracture a hip already have some problems thinking clearly. Sometimes surgery can make this problem worse.
• Pressure sores (also called pressure ulcers or bed sores) from being in bed or a chair for long periods of time.