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Hip problems
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| Disorders |
| ►Introduction |
| ►Arthritis |
| ►Other conditions |
| ►Hip fracture |
| Hip replacement |
| ►Surgery details |
| ►Results of surgery |
| ►Advances in total hip replacement |
| ►Advice sheet about total hip replacement |
| Other surgery |
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►Hip injection |
| ►Advice sheet about hip injection |
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►Surgery for hip fracture |
| Physiotherapy |
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►After hip replacement
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Further information |
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►Hip DVD
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Hip fractureHip fractures are very common in the elderly and can be caused by minor falls. Young patients can also suffer hip fractures but only as a result of major injury such as a road accident or a fall when skiing.
Treatment of hip fractures is almost invariably surgical, the type of operation being dependent on the nature of the fracture.
An intracapsular fracture An intertrochanteric fracture Intracapsular fracture
If the break occurs within the hip joint itself there is considerable risk that the blood supply to the femoral head (the 'ball') will have been disturbed. In this event the fracture is most unlikely to heal and the joint will become arthritic. For this reason this type of fracture is most frequently treated by replacing the ball - a 'hemiarthoplasty' - or by performing a total hip replacement.
Intertrochanteric fracture
If however the break occurs outside the hip joint there is little risk of the blood supply having been damaged; the fracture can therefore be fixed with a 'pin and plate.'
For further details about surgery click here.
| © J M Britton 2007 |