We investigated the effects of surgical operation on the prognosis of life and gait of aged patients with fracture of the proximal femur. We surgically treated 73 patients with fracture of the proximal femur above 90 years old on the operation day, between October 1992 and February 1998. We were able to follow-up on 69 patients (age range, 90-101; average 92.6) through direct examination or on the phone from the patients themselves or their care givers.
9 patients were male and 60 were female. 18 patients had femoral neck fractures and 51 had intertrochanteric. 35 patients (50.7%) were dead on the day of hearing. This mortality ratio did not differ from the expected ratio of Japanese same aged population. Only 7 patients (10.1%) had died within a year, in which period, the patients' death was thought to be influenced by the operation. Furthemore, 19 patients (55.9% of the patients who survived) were able to stand and walk. We conclude that surgical operation is a good choice of treatment for aged patients with fractures of the proximal femur, because it did not deteriorate the mortality rate.
