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Complications. Prevention. Overview. A hip fracture is a serious injury, with complications that can be life-threatening. The risk of hip fracture rises with age. Risk increases because bones tend to weaken with age (osteoporosis).
Hip fracture surgery complications can include: Avascular necrosis : Avascular necrosis is bone death that happens when blood flow is cut off to a bone for too long. Nonunion: Your bone may not grow back together completely or at all.
Learn more about possible complications from a hip fracture, including infection, muscle atrophy, infection, pneumonia, or blood vessel blockages.
What is a hip fracture? A hip fracture is a partial or complete break of the femur (thigh bone), where it meets your pelvic bone. It’s a serious injury that requires immediate medical attention. Fractured hips in younger people usually occur during car accidents, long falls or other severe traumas.
Etiology. The majority of hip fractures are the result of a fall in the elderly population. Risk factors for falls in the elderly population are numerous, but those with a strong independent association are a previous history of falls, gait abnormalities, the use of walking aids, vertigo, Parkinson disease, and antiepileptic medications. [1] .
Some hip fractures are more serious than others, but most are treated with surgery. Who’s Most at Risk? Each year about 300,000 Americans -- most of them over age 65 -- break a hip.
The risk of complications such as pneumonia, bedsores, and blood clots are diminished the sooner you are up and out of bed after a hip fracture surgery. The mortality (death) rate in the first year following a broken hip is significantly increased, and the rates are highest in older populations.
A health care provider can often diagnose a hip fracture based on symptoms and the abnormal position of the hip and leg. An X-ray usually will confirm the fracture and show where the fracture is. If your X-ray doesn't show a fracture but you still have hip pain, your provider might order an MRI or bone scan to look for a hairline fracture.
Diseases & Conditions. Hip Fractures. A hip fracture is a break in the upper portion of the femur (thighbone). Most hip fractures occur in elderly patients whose bones have become weakened by osteoporosis.
Overview. A hip fracture is a more complicated medical problem than many people realize. Yes, it’s a broken bone in the hip joint, but geriatric (or osteoporotic) hip fracture is frequently the harbinger of a host of serious and often life-threatening issues among the elderly.