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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
06:58
Method and Instrumented Fixture for Femoral Fracture Testing in a Sideways Fall-on-the-Hip Position
Published on: August 17, 2017
Summary
Fat embolism is a serious risk following hip fractures, particularly with certain surgical treatments like Thompson's arthroplasty using acrylic cement. Further research is needed to confirm safety of alternative prostheses.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Trauma Medicine
- Pathology
Background:
- Fat embolism is a known complication following hip fractures.
- The incidence and mortality associated with fat embolism vary depending on fracture type and treatment.
- Understanding risk factors is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the frequency of fat embolism in patients with hip fractures.
- To correlate fat embolism occurrence with clinical findings and treatment modalities.
- To investigate the potential link between specific hip arthroplasties and fat embolism.
Main Methods:
- Necropsy examination to detect fat embolism.
- Correlation of necropsy findings with clinical data of deceased patients.
- Analysis of fat embolism frequency across different fracture types (subcapital, trochanteric) and treatments (conservative, internal fixation, arthroplasty).
Main Results:
- Fat embolism was identified in 2.4-3.3% of subcapital fractures and 0.7-0.8% of trochanteric fractures.
- Higher rates (4.1-7%) were observed in conservatively treated patients, possibly due to selection bias.
- Thompson's arthroplasty with acrylic cement showed a 6.8-8.0% incidence, contrasting with 0% for cementless Moore's prostheses.
Conclusions:
- Fat embolism is a significant cause of early mortality after hip fracture surgery, especially Thompson's arthroplasty.
- Acrylic cement and intramedullary pressure may contribute to fat embolism risk.
- Further controlled trials are warranted to evaluate cementless prostheses and surgical techniques like marrow cavity venting.
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