title: Failure of hemiarthroplasty for fractures of the neck of the femur.
abstract: Hemiarthroplasty is commonly used in the treatment of displaced subcapital fractures of the femur. Review of 92 patients at least 4 years after this operation showed that 19 per cent had required further operations. Review of a separate series of 70 patients each of whom had undergone a revision operation after a hemiarthroplasty showed that over half needed operation within 3 years of the original treatment. The average age at revision was 70 years and some patients required operation at up to 79 years of age. The results from both series indicate that the medical condition of the patient at the time of fracture provided a better prognosis for survival than age alone. They also suggest that hemiarthroplasty should be reserved for patients over 79 and for medically unfit patients over 65.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012086:Reoperation