Hip hemiarthroplasty after displaced femoral neck fracture: A survivorship analysis

The standard of care for displaced femoral neck fractures is not clear. We reviewed all patients 65 years or older with displaced femoral neck fracture who underwent hip hemiarthroplasty at our institution between 1997 and 2006. Women accounted for 70% of the patients. Mean patient age was 78 years, and most of the patients were community ambulators. Complete operative information was available for 226 (79%) of 285 patients. Follow-up was available for 126 patients (mean, 15.8 months; range, 1-97 months). Total mortality rate was 58%. Mean University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) scores were 8.3 for pain, 6.7 for walking, 5.6 for function, and 3.5 for activity. Two patients had acetabular wear on radiography, but symptoms were not severe enough to warrant revision. Three patients (1.3%) underwent revision, 1 with acetabular wear and 2 for infection. Despite the limited follow-up, the rate of conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA) was low. Longer, prospective studies are needed to delineate which patients will benefit from THA.