Management of Proximal Femoral Fractures

Proximal femoral fractures are typical injuries in the elderly population. We conducted a retrospective study to estimate postoperative mortality and risk factors affecting patient outcomes at Tartu University Hospital. We retrospectively evaluated patients who were hospitalised in 2017 with a proximal femoral fracture diagnosis and who were operated (osteosynthesis, partial and total hip replacement). In the study we included 313 patients of 361 (219 women and 94 men). We did not find statistically significant difference between the choice of anaesthesia and mortality or between the time getting to the OR and mortality. Cognitive impairment and postoperative delirium were significantly associated with increased one-year mortality was 37% (p < 0.05). In the group of the patients who did not have postoperative delirium the overall mortality was 15%. 23% of the patients had preoperatively cognitive impairment, and 45.8% of them died in the first year after the operation (p < 0.001). Mortality of patients who did not have cognitive impairment was 14%. As the sample group of patients included in the study was small, further investigation should encompass a larger group in the future.