Quality of Life Following Treatment of Trochanteric Fractures with Proximal Femoral Nail versus Cementless Bipolar Hemiarthroplasty in Elderly

Abstract

Purpose: There is currently no gold standard treatment for unstable intertrochanteric fractures of the elderly. Internal fixation and hemiarthroplasty are two common treatment methods but studies comparing the functional outcomes of these procedures in the elderly are limited. This study evaluates the functional outcomes of hip fracture patients treated either with internal fixation or hemiarthroplasty. Methods: Eighty-six elderly (>60 years) patients who presented with isolated, unstable intertrochanteric fractures between 2009 and 2013 were included in the study. According to the classification of Association for Osteosynthesis/Orthopaedic Trauma Association; 12 of the patients had a 31A1.3 fracture type, 36 of the patients had 31A2.2 and 19 had 31A2.3 fracture type, 12 had 31A3.1 and seven had 31A3.3 fracture. Forty-two of 86 hip patients (Group 1) were treated with intramedullary nailing and antirotator proximal femoral nail implant (TST, Turkey), and 44 (Group 2) were treated with cementless bipolar hemiarthroplasty. Preoperative social function (Jensen) score, EQ-5D index score and mobility (Palmer/Parker) scores were obtained. Five dimensions of EQ-5D were obtained at every follow-up visit until 24 months postoperative. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between two groups according to preoperative demographic variables, including mean age and sex and Jensen, Palmer/Parker, EQ-5D index, five dimensions of EQ-5D and American Society of Anesthesiologists scores. At end of 24 months follow-up, health-related quality of life had increased more in Group 1 and they reported better social functioning and mobility scores (p<0.01). Conclusion: Internal fixation resulted in better social functioning and mobility scores compared with cementless bipolar hemiarthroplasty at the end of 24 months in treatment of unstable pertrochanteric hip fracture in the elderly.