Endoprosthetic replacement of the proximal femur may be required to treat primary bone tumours or destructive metastases either with impending or established pathological fracture. Modular prostheses are available off the shelf and can be adapted to most reconstructive situations for this purpose. We have assessed the clinical and functional outcome of using the METS (Stanmore Implants Worldwide) modular tumour prosthesis to reconstruct the proximal femur in 100 consecutive patients between 2001 and 2006. We compared the results with the published series for patients managed with modular and custom-made endoprosthetic replacements for the same conditions. There were 52 males and 48 females with a mean age of 56.3 years (16 to 84) and a mean follow-up of 24.6 months (0 to 60). In 65 patients the procedure was undertaken for metastases, in 25 for a primary bone tumour, and in ten for other malignant conditions. A total of 46 patients presented with a pathological fracture, and 19 presented with failed fixation of a previous pathological fracture. The overall patient survival was 63.6% at one year and 23.1% at five years, and was significantly better for patients with a primary bone tumour than for those with metastatic tumour (82.3% vs 53.3%, respectively at one year (p = 0.003)). There were six early dislocations of which five could be treated by closed reduction. No patient needed revision surgery for dislocation. Revision surgery was required by six (6%) patients, five for pain caused by acetabular wear and one for tumour progression. Amputation was needed in four patients for local recurrence or infection. The estimated five-year implant survival with revision as the endpoint was 90.7%. The mean Toronto Extremity Salvage score was 61% (51% to 95%). The implant survival and complications resulting from the use of the modular system were comparable to the published series of both custom-made and other modular proximal femoral implants. We conclude that at intermediate follow-up the modular tumour prosthesis for proximal femur replacement provides versatility, a low incidence of implant-related complications and acceptable function for patients with metastatic tumours, pathological fractures and failed fixation of the proximal femur. It also functions as well as a custom-made endoprosthetic replacement

An MR scan was performed on all patients who presented to our hospital with a clinical diagnosis of a fracture of the proximal femur, but who had no abnormality on plain radiographs. This was a prospective study of 102 consecutive patients over a ten-year period. There were 98 patients who fulfilled our inclusion criteria, of whom 75 were scanned within 48 hours of admission, with an overall mean time between admission and scanning of 2.4 days (0 to 10). A total of 81 patients (83%) had abnormalities detected on MRI; 23 (23%) required operative management. The use of MRI led to the early diagnosis and treatment of occult hip pathology. We recommend that incomplete intertrochanteric fractures are managed non-operatively with protected weight-bearing. The study illustrates the high incidence of fractures which are not apparent on plain radiographs, and shows that MRI is useful when diagnosing other pathology such as malignancy, which may not be apparent on plain films

In three consecutive years 462 patients over the age of 60 years presented at Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand, with a fracture of the proximal femur. Within two years, 11 (2.4%) returned with a fracture of the contralateral femur. If the effectiveness of any form of treatment aiming at reducing the incidence of contralateral fracture were subjected to a trial, a sample size of 5000, randomly distributed equally between treatment and placebo groups, would be needed for the trial to have a power of 80% to detect a reduction

We performed a retrospective study of a departmental database to assess the efficacy of a new model of orthopaedic care on the outcome of patients with a fracture of the proximal femur. All 1578 patients admitted to a university teaching hospital with a fracture of the proximal femur between December 2007 and December 2009 were included. The allocation of Foundation doctors years 1 and 2 was restructured from individual teams covering several wards to pairs covering individual wards. No alterations were made in the numbers of doctors, their hours, out-of-hours cover, or any other aspect of standard patient care. Outcome measures comprised 30-day mortality and cause, complications and length of stay. Mortality was reduced from 11.7% to 7.6% (p = 0.007, Cox’s regression analysis); adjusted odds ratio was 1.559 (95% confidence interval 1.128 to 2.156). Reductions were seen in Clostridium difficile colitis (p = 0.017), deep wound infection (p = 0.043) and gastrointestinal haemorrhage (p = 0.033). There were no differences in any patient risk factors (except the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), cause of death and length of stay before and after intervention. The underlying mechanisms are unclear, but may include improved efficiency and medical contact time. These findings may have implications for all specialties caring for patients on several wards, and we believe they justify a prospective trial to further assess this effect

There are a number of classification systems for intracapsular fractures of the proximal femur, but none has been shown to be practical with satisfactory reproducibility and accurate predictive value. We have investigated the AO classification and evaluated intra-and interobserver accuracy and its value in predicting treatment and outcome. We found it to have very poor intra- and interobserver reliability and to be of limited predictive use for the outcome of treatment. A simplified system in which the subdivisions were allocated to one of three groups of undisplaced, displaced and basal fractures was found to be of value. We conclude that this is the only division which is appropriate for these fractures and that the AO system for intracapsular fractures is too complicated and should not be used

We have used total hip replacement combined with cemented intramedullary nailing to treat a selected group of nine patients with pathological fractures of the proximal femur and impending fractures of the shaft due to metastases. One patient died from cardiopulmonary failure on the third postoperative day, but the others were able to walk within the first week after operation. Complications included one recurrent dislocation of the THR and one fracture of an osteolytic lesion of the femoral shaft during nail insertion. Both were managed successfully. The hybrid osteosynthesis which we describe is an alternative to the use of tumour or long-stem prostheses; it has the advantage of preserving bone stock and muscle attachments

We performed a prospective, randomised trial comparing three treatments for displaced intracapsular fractures of the hip in 280 patients aged 65 to 79 years.

The mean patient survival was significantly higher in the group undergoing reduction and internal fixation (79 months) compared with that with a cemented Thompson hemiarthroplasty or a cemented Monk bipolar hemiarthroplasty (61 months and 68 months, respectively). After three years, 32 of 93 patients (34.4%) who had undergone fixation had local complications, necessitating further intervention in 28 (30%). There were no significant differences in the functional outcome in survivors, who were reviewed annually to five years.

Either reduction and internal fixation or cemented hemiarthroplasty may be offered as alternative treatments for a displaced intracapsular fracture in a mobile and mentally competent patient under the age of 80 years. The choice of procedure by the patient and the surgeon should be determined by the realisation that the use of internal fixation is associated with a 30% risk of failure requiring further surgery. If this is accepted, however, hemiarthroplasty is avoided, which, in our study has a significantly shorter mean survival time. The use of a bipolar prosthesis has no significant advantage.

Previous studies on the timing of surgery for fracture of the hip provide conflicting evidence as to the effect of prolonged delay before operation. We have prospectively reviewed 3628 such fractures in patients older than 60 years of age. Those for whom the delay was for medical reasons were excluded. Patients were followed up for one year or until death. Operation was undertaken within 48 hours in 95.2% and after this in 4.8%. A significant increase in length of stay was found in patients operated on after 48 hours when compared with those in the earlier group (21.6 vs 32.5 days). No increase in hospital stay was found for lesser delays.

Hip fracture is a global public health problem. The National Hip Fracture Database provides a framework for service evaluation in this group of patients in the United Kingdom, but does not collect patient-reported outcome data and is unable to provide meaningful data about the recovery of quality of life.

We report one-year patient-reported outcomes of a prospective cohort of patients treated at a single major trauma centre in the United Kingdom who sustained a hip fracture between January 2012 and March 2014.

There was an initial marked decline in quality of life from baseline measured using the EuroQol 5 Dimensions score (EQ-5D). It was followed by a significant improvement to 120 days for all patients. Although their quality of life improved during the year after the fracture, it was still significantly lower than before injury irrespective of age group or cognitive impairment (mean reduction EQ-5D 0.22; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17 to 0.26). There was strong evidence that quality of life was lower for patients with cognitive impairment. There was a mean reduction in EQ-5D of 0.28 (95% CI 0.22 to 0.35) in patients <  80 years of age. This difference was consistent (and fixed) throughout follow-up. Quality of life does not improve significantly during recovery from hip fracture in patients over 80 years of age (p = 0.928). Secondary measures of function showed similar trends.

Hip fracture marks a step down in the quality of life of a patient: it accounts for approximately 0.22 disability adjusted life years in the first year after fracture. This is equivalent to serious neurological conditions for which extensive funding for research and treatment is made available.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:372–82.

Low-energy fractures of the proximal humerus indicate osteoporosis and it is important to direct treatment to this group of patients who are at high risk of further fracture. Data were prospectively collected from 79 patients (11 men, 68 women) with a mean age of 69 years (55 to 86) with fractures of the proximal humerus in order to determine if current guidelines on the measurement of the bone mineral density at the hip and lumbar spine were adequate to stratify the risk and to guide the treatment of osteoporosis. Bone mineral density measurements were made by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at the proximal femur, lumbar spine (L2-4) and contralateral distal radius, and the T-scores were generated for comparison. Data were also collected on the use of steroids, smoking, the use of alcohol, hand dominance and comorbidity. The mean T-score for the distal radius was −2.97 (. sd. 1.56) compared with −1.61 (. sd. 1.62) for the lumbar spine and −1.78 (. sd. 1.33) for the femur. There was a significant difference between the mean lumbar and radial T scores (1.36 (1.03 to 1.68); p < 0.001) and between the mean femoral and radial T-scores (1.18 (0.92 to 1.44); p < 0.001). The inclusion of all three sites in the determination of the T-score increased the sensitivity to 66% compared with that of 46% when only the proximal femur and lumbar spine were used. This difference between measurements in the upper limb compared with the axial skeleton and lower limb suggests that basing risk assessment and treatment on only the bone mineral density taken at the hip or lumbar spine may misrepresent the extent of osteoporosis in the upper limb and the subsequent risk of fracture at this site. The assessment of osteoporosis must include measurement of the bone mineral density at the distal radius to avoid underestimation of osteoporosis in the upper limb

Aims. The aim of this paper is to review the evidence relating to the anatomy of the proximal femur, the geometry of the fracture and the characteristics of implants and methods of fixation of intertrochanteric fractures of the hip. Materials and Methods. Relevant papers were identified from appropriate clinical databases and a narrative review was undertaken. Results. Stable, unstable, and subtrochanteric intertrochanteric fractures vary widely in their anatomical and biomechanical characteristics, as do the implants used for their fixation. The optimal choice of implant addresses the stability of the fracture and affects the outcome. Conclusion. The treatment of intertrochanteric fractures of the hip has evolved along with changes in the design of the implants used to fix them, but there remains conflicting evidence to guide the choice of implant. We advocate fixation of 31A1 fractures with a sliding hip screw and all others with an intramedullary device. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:128–33

We present the prevalence of multiple fractures in the elderly in a single catchment population of 780 000 treated over a 12-month period and describe the mechanisms of injury, common patterns of occurrence, management, and the associated mortality rate. A total of 2335 patients, aged ≥ 65 years of age, were prospectively assessed and of these 119 patients (5.1%) presented with multiple fractures. Distal radial (odds ratio (OR) 5.1, p <  0.0001), proximal humeral (OR 2.2, p < 0.0001) and pelvic (OR 4.9, p < 0.0001) fractures were associated with an increased risk of sustaining associated fractures. Only 4.5% of patients sustained multiple fractures after a simple fall, but due to the frequency of falls in the elderly this mechanism resulted in 80.7% of all multiple fractures. Most patients required admission (> 80%), of whom 42% did not need an operation but more than half needed an increased level of care before discharge (54%). The standardised mortality rate at one year was significantly greater after sustaining multiple fractures that included fractures of the pelvis, proximal humerus or proximal femur (p < 0.001). This mortality risk increased further if patients were < 80 years of age, indicating that the existence of multiple fractures after low-energy trauma is a marker of mortality

We undertook a simultaneous prospective two-centre study to examine why patients with fractures of the proximal femur experience a delay in undergoing surgery. At centre 1, 23 of 105 patients (22%) suffered an avoidable delay, 18 (78%) because of a lack of theatre capacity while at centre 2, 71 of 130 patients (55%) had an avoidable delay, with 54 (76%) because of this cause. Miscellaneous reasons such as poor ward management, co-existing medical conditions, and lack of equipment were responsible for the remainder of the delays. Without a substantial increase in operating capacity for acute trauma, it will not be possible to comply with guidelines which recommend surgical treatment within 24 hours in elderly and vulnerable patients

Aims

The purpose of this study was to determine the weightbearing practice of operatively managed fragility fractures in the setting of publically funded health services in the UK and Ireland.

Aims. Hip hemiarthroplasty is a standard treatment for intracapsular proximal femoral fractures in the frail elderly. In this study we have explored the implications of early return to theatre, within 30 days, on patient outcome following hip hemiarthroplasty. Patients and Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the hospital records of all hip hemiarthroplasties performed in our unit between January 2010 and January 2015. Demographic details, medical backround, details of the primary procedure, complications, subsequent procedures requiring return to theatre, re-admissions, discharge destination and death were collected. Results. A total of 705 procedures were included; 428 Austin Moore and 277 Exeter Trauma Stems were used. A total of 34 fractures (in 33 patients) required early return to theatre within 30 days. Age, gender, laterality, time from admission to primary procedure, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, and implant type were similar for those requiring early return to theatre and those who did not. Early return to theatre was associated with a significantly higher length of stay (mean 33.6 days (7 to 107) versus 18.6 days (0 to 152), p < 0.001), re-admission rate (38.2% versus 8.6%, p < 0.001), and subsequent revision rate (17.6% versus 1.3%, p < 0.001). We found no difference in level of care required on discharge or mortality. Conclusion. Proximal femoral fractures are common in the elderly population, with far-reaching medical and economic implications. Factors such as infection or dislocation may require early return to theatre, and this is associated with outcomes which may be both medically and economically detrimental. This illustrates the importance of avoiding early complications to improve longer term outcome. Return to theatre within 30 days is associated with longer length of stay, higher re-admission rate, and higher subsequent revision rate. It may be a useful short-term quality indicator for longer term outcome measures following hip hemiarthroplasty for intracapsular fractures of the proximal femur. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:958–63

We performed a retrospective review of all patients admitted to two large University Hospitals in the United Kingdom over a 24-month period from January 2008 to January 2010 to identify the incidence of atypical subtrochanteric and femoral shaft fractures and their relationship to bisphosphonate treatment. Of the 3515 patients with a fracture of the proximal femur, 156 fractures were in the subtrochanteric region. There were 251 femoral shaft fractures. The atypical fracture pattern was seen in 27 patients (7%) with 29 femoral shaft or subtrochanteric fractures. A total of 22 patients with 24 atypical fractures were receiving bisphosphonate treatment at the time of fracture. Prodromal pain was present in nine patients (11 fractures); 11 (50%) of the patients on bisphosphonates suffered 12 spontaneous fractures, and healing of these fractures was delayed in a number of patients. This large dual-centre review has established the incidence of atypical femoral fractures at 7% of the study population, 81% of whom had been on bisphosphonate treatment for a mean of 4.6 years (0.04 to 12.1). This study does not advocate any change in the use of bisphosphonates to prevent fragility fractures but attempts to raise awareness of this possible problem so symptomatic patients will be appropriately investigated. However, more work is required to identify the true extent of this new and possibly increasing problem

Aims

The incidence of atypical femoral fractures (AFFs) continues to increase. However, there are currently few long-term studies on the complications of AFFs and factors affecting them. Therefore, we attempted to investigate the outcomes, complications, and risk factors for complication through mid-term follow-up of more than three years.

We report a prospective study of the incidence of fractures in the adult population of Edinburgh, related to age and gender. Over a two-year period, 15 293 adults, 7428 males and 7865 females, sustained a fracture, and 5208 (34.0%) required admission. Between 15 and 49 years of age, males were 2.9 times more likely to sustain a fracture than females (95% CI 2.7 to 3.1). Over the age of 60 years, females were 2.3 times more likely to sustain a fracture than males (95% CI 2.1 to 2.4). There were three main peaks of fracture distribution: the first was in young adult males, the second was in elderly patients of both genders, mainly in metaphyseal bone such as the proximal femur, although diaphyseal fractures also showed an increase in incidence. The third increase in the incidence of fractures, especially of the wrist, was seen to start at 40 years of age in women. Our study has also shown that ‘osteoporotic’ fractures became evident in women earlier than expected, and that they were not entirely a postmenopausal phenomenon

A total of 455 patients aged over 70 years with a displaced intracapsular fracture of the proximal femur was randomised to be treated either by hemiarthroplasty or internal fixation. The preoperative characteristics of the patients in both groups were similar. Internal fixation has a shorter length of anaesthesia (36 minutes versus 57 minutes, p < 0.0001), lower operative blood loss (28 ml versus 177 ml, p < 0.0001) and lower transfusion requirements (0.04 units versus 0.39 units, p < 0.0001). In the internal fixation group 90 patients required 111 additional surgical procedures while only 15 additional operations on the hip were needed in 12 patients in the arthroplasty group. There was no statistically significant difference in mortality between the groups at one year (61/226 versus 63/229, p = 0.91), but there was a tendency for an improved survival in the older less mobile patients treated by internal fixation. For the survivors assessed at one, two and three years from injury there were no differences with regard to the outcome for pain and mobility. Limb shortening was more common after internal fixation (7.0 mm versus 3.6 mm, p = 0.004). We recommend that displaced intracapsular fractures in the elderly should generally be treated by arthroplasty but that internal fixation may be appropriate for those who are very frail

Aims

Osteopetrosis (OP) is a rare hereditary disease that causes reduced bone resorption and increased bone density as a result of osteoclastic function defect. Our aim is to review the difficulties, mid-term follow-up results, and literature encountered during the treatment of OP.