Hip fracture in rheumatoid arthritis

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
All patients with rheumatoid arthritis, admitted for hip fracture during a 5-yr period, were studied in retrospect. Of 1092 hip fractures, 16 cervical and 9 trochanteric fractures occurred in rheumatics. Four cervical fractures were stress fractures. The mean patient age was lower than in a normal hip fracture material and the female predominance more pronounced. Of 14 surviving patients with cervical fractures, 3 had an uncomplicated 2-yr healing, while 11 developed redisplacement, non-union or segmental collapse, in 8 cases necessitating hip arthroplasty. Of 8 surviving patients with trochanteric fractures, serious complications developed in 2: non-union in 1 and septicemia in 1 necessitating nail extraction 1 wk after the primary operation. The complication rate was higher than in an unselected femoral neck fracture material.