Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures

Internal fixation of hip fractures is the method of holding together the bones of the fractured hip without having to use external appliances on the outside of the skin. Common devices used are wires, plates, rods, pins, and screws. These devices can be removed at a later date or they can be a permanent fixture to the hip bone.

Hip Fractures

• According to the Mayo Clinic, an estimated 300,000 Americans a year fracture their hip. Over half of those fractures occur in people who are over 80 years old. Women account for approximately 80 percent of all hip fractures due to the fact that women lose bone density faster than men. In most older adults, a hip fracture often occurs due to a fall or weak bones. Hip fractures occur in younger adults mainly from trauma by accidents or sport injuries.

  Symptoms of a hip fracture are severe pain in the hip or groin, inability to put weight on the leg of the injured hip, bruising, stiffness, and swelling in the hip area, or a shorter leg on the side of the injured hip.

Internal Fixation Procedure

• A hip fracture that occurs at the top of the femur is called a femoral neck fracture of the hip. A fracture that occurs lower than a femoral neck fracture is classified as an intertrochanteric region fracture. The broken bone must be fixed carefully in position until it has healed enough to bear weight in either type of fracture. The surgical incision to realign the fragments of the bone is called an open reduction. The application of wires, plates, rods, pins, and screws to the bone is known as internal fixation.

  To fix a femoral neck fracture of the hip, the bone is aligned in an open reduction and the surgeon will insert materials to hold the bone together as it heals during the internal fixation procedure.

  Fixing an intertrochanteric region fracture involves attaching the needed applications, such as a metal screw, across the fracture and attaching it to a plate that runs along the femur and is attached to other screws. This helps keep the bone stable as it heals.

  The internal fixation surgery may last from 2 to 4 hours. Your hospital stay is generally 5 to 7 days long. During this period, a physical therapist will work with you to show you how to perform exercises to strengthen your hip. You will need the aid of a walker or crutches during your rehabilitation. Full recovery from internal fixation may take 3 to 6 months.

Considerations

• According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, one of the most significant advances in treatment during the 20th century was the development of internal fixation.