PROXIMAL FEMUR FRACTURE IN OLDER ADULTS: CORRELATION BETWEEN SURGICAL TREATMENT TIME AND MORTALITY

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Public Health

Background:

• Osteoporosis poses a significant public health challenge due to high morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs in older adults.
• Proximal femoral neck fractures in the elderly are a major cause of disability and mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the epidemiological profile, temporal distribution, mortality, and time to management for low-impact proximal femoral neck fractures in older adults.
• To identify risk factors and trends associated with hip fractures in a tertiary hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study of 133 medical records of patients with low-energy proximal femoral neck fractures (2017-2020).
• Statistical analyses included chi-square test, Student's t-test, and Fisher's exact test.

Main Results:

• A predominance of female patients (69.92%) with an average age of 79.87 years.
• Transtrochanteric fractures were most common (78.95%).
• Mortality rates showed fluctuations, with a notable decrease in 2020 (10.29%).

Conclusions:

• Findings are largely consistent with existing literature, with notable exceptions in fracture type and 2020 mortality.
• The implementation of a new surgical protocol, aiming for management within 48 hours, appears to correlate with reduced mortality in 2020.
• Further research into optimized fracture management protocols is warranted.