Primary Cemented Bipolar Hemiarthroplasty in Neglected Osteoporotic Intertrochanteric Fractures

Treating intertrochanteric fractures in very old osteoporotic patients has always been a challenge and when it comes to managing such fractures that have been neglected by the patients, the scenario becomes all the more difficult. Negligence of intertrochanteric fractures is often encountered in developing countries, particularly in rural population. Economic status, illiteracy, lack of medical aids and false faith in quacks and bonesetters being a few reasons for this negligence. Treatment of such fractures with conventional internal fixation faces many problems and can be better managed by cemented hemiarthroplasty. Our study aims at studying the clinical and functional outcomes of such patients treated with cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty, in series of 16 neglected intertrochanteric fracture patients above 60 yrs of age treated at our hospital with cemented hemiarthroplasty. Functional outcome was assessed using Harris Hip Score. The main clinical measures were early postoperative full weight bearing, postoperative complications and functional outcome. According to our results, we believe that cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty is an excellent and a viable option in elderly osteoporotic patients with a neglected intertrochanteric femoral fracture.