“Hip bone fractures?”

I understand your concern about his age and surgery which is a very realistic fear
However a broken bones hurt when you move them and unless he plans on being completely immobile he will require surgery

He needs surgery if it’s broken or dislocated. There are risks of surgery at his age. But the benefits are more than the risks. Otherwise he may develop bed sores, uti, or pneumonia dvt and carry high mortality.

Not much.Prolonged immobilization is almost always more threatening than surgery with prompt up and out of bed. If the medical doctor and anesthesia doctor are on board your best bet is surgery.

The best option, despite his age, is to have the hip fracture fixed so he can get out of bed and hopefully walk. Not operating even in sick and elderly patients is not advised. Many complications result without surgery.

There is none.

While not an orthopedist, I do help manage trauma patients. Surgery is actually the quicker and safer method to get people back on their feet and more comfortable. Non-operating means that your father will be bed-bound and in pain for a significant amount of time. Fractures hurt, and if they are not repaired, the ends of the bone grind on each other, causing pain. Surgery fixates the fracture to decrease the pain. Surgery also will allow him to get out of bed and be more mobile.

Typically, orthopedic surgeons as well as all physicians recommend fixing hip fractures in the elderly to prevent the complications associated with immobility which are often severe or fatal such as pneumonia or blood clots. Once medically optimized, operative intervention is the most conservative treatment approach for geriatric hip fractures. His treating physicians can walk you through the options as well as risks and benefits.

Good luck,

Keith

Hip fractures can be very debilitating in the elderly population. Sometimes the fracture and its consequences can lead to worsening of the patients condition. The options are limited due to the importance of the hip bone being needed to walk. Stability of the hip is needed to allow us to stand and ambulate. Fractures of the hips can be treated with surgery or non-surgically. Both methods have risks and benefits.

Surgically, complications can include infection, bleeding, loosening of the hardware; and anesthetically, fluid overload, brain fog or reactions to the medications provided. Surgery will allow the patient to get out of bed and ambulate more quickly than non-surgical care, which will limit other risks including bed sores, pneumonia and blood clots.

Non-surgically, it becomes very difficult to manage pain related to the hip fracture without having immobility. This may mean complete bedrest or possibly traction in bed that provide stability of the bone while it heals. This may last 6 weeks to 3 months. Even young, healthy patients staying in bed have a high risk of bed sores, pneumonia, and blood clots.

It is a difficult decision, so your doctor can guide you through the risk/benefit ratios. Most commonly, surgery is the best option.

Jeffrey R. Carlson, MD