Lateral and Posterior Approaches in Hemiarthroplasty

Hemiarthroplasty is a common treatment for patient with a fragility displaced femoral neck fracture. We compared lateral and posterior approaches with respect to need for mobility aids, mobility level, living arrangements, pain, hip dislocation, and survival 12 months after hip fracture.

A total of 393 fragility femoral neck fracture patients aged 65 years or more who underwent hemiarthroplasty were observed for 12 months. Patient information was collected on admission, during hospitalization, and by telephone interview 1 year after the hip fracture. A total of 269 patients were included in the final analysis.

At 1 year after hip fracture, more patients undergoing hemiarthroplasty with the posterior approach (22%) survived without mobility aids compared to those with the lateral approach (12%; p = 0.026). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the need for mobility aids 1 year after hip fracture was significantly predicted by the use of mobility aids before the fracture (odds ratio = 13.46, 95% confidence interval = 4.29-42.25), age ≥85 years (odds ratio = 3.85, 95% confidence interval = 1.09-13.44), male sex (odds ratio = 3.59, 95% confidence interval = 1.05-12.22), and lateral approach (odds ratio 2.73, 95% confidence interval 1.15-6.50). The posterior approach resulted in four (3.4%) dislocated hips, compared with none by the lateral approach. Survival, mobility level, pain in the operated hip, and living arrangements 1 year postoperatively were not significantly different between groups.

Hemiarthroplasty using a lateral approach predisposed to the need for ambulatory aids 1 year after hip fracture. The posterior approach, however, predisposed to hip dislocation. Patient selection must be considered when deciding the appropriate surgical approach.