Background and purposeCemented hemiarthroplasty is preferred in treating displaced fractures of the femoral neck in the elderly. The cementing process may cause a fat embolism, leading to serious complications or death. In this study, we wanted to determine whether use of uncemented hemiarthroplasty (HA) would lead to reduced mortality and whether there are differences in the complications associated with these different types of arthroplasty.Patients and methodsFrom the PERFECT database, which combines information from various treatment registries, we identified 25,174 patients who were treated with hemiarthroplasty for a femoral neck fracture in the years 1999–2009. The primary outcome was mortality. Secondary outcomes were reoperations, complications, re-admissions, and treatment times.ResultsMortality was lower in the first postoperative days when uncemented HA was used. At 1 week, there was no significant difference in mortality (3.9% for cemented HA and 3.4% for uncemented HA; p = 0.09). This was also true after one year (26% for cemented HA and 27% for uncemented HA; p = 0.1). In patients treated with uncemented HA, there were significantly more mechanical complications (3.7% vs. 2.8%; p < 0.001), hip re-arthroplasties (1.7% vs. 0.95; p < 0.001), and femoral fracture operations (1.2% vs. 0.52%; p < 0.001) during the first 90 days after hip fracture surgery.InterpretationFrom registry data, mortality appears to be similar for cemented and uncemented HA. However, uncemented HA is associated with more frequent mechanical complications and reoperations.

BackgroundThe overall incidence of fractures has been addressed in several studies, but there are few data on different types of fractures that require inpatient care, even though they account for considerable healthcare costs. We determined the incidence of limb and spine fractures that required hospitalization in people aged ≥ 16 years.Patients and methodsWe collected data on the diagnosis (ICD10 code), procedure code (NOMESCO), and 9 additional characteristics of patients admitted to the trauma ward of Central Finland Hospital between 2002 and 2008. Incidence rates were calculated for all fractures using data on the population at risk.Results and interpretationDuring the study period, 3,277 women and 2,708 men sustained 3,750 and 3,030 fractures, respectively. The incidence of all fractures was 4.9 per 103 person years (95% CI: 4.8–5.0). The corresponding numbers for women and men were 5.3 (5.1–5.4) and 4.5 (4.3–4.6). Fractures of the hip, ankle, wrist, spine, and proximal humerus comprised two-thirds of all fractures requiring hospitalization. The proportion of ankle fractures (17%) and wrist fractures (9%) was equal to that of hip fractures (27%). Four-fifths of the hospitalized fracture patients were operated. In individuals aged < 60 years, fractures requiring hospitalization were twice as common in men as in women. In individuals ≥ 60 years of age, the opposite was true.

Background and purpose Increased mortality after hip fracture is well documented. The mortality after hospitalization for upper extremity fracture is unknown, even though these are common injuries. Here we determined mortality after hospitalization for upper extremity fracture in patients aged ≥16 years.Patients and methods We collected data about the diagnosis code (ICD10), procedure code (NOMESCO), and 7 additional characteristics of 5,985 patients admitted to the trauma ward of Central Finland Hospital between 2002 and 2008. During the study, 929 women and 753 men sustained an upper extremity fracture. The patients were followed up until the end of 2012. Mortality rates were calculated using data on the population at risk.Results By the end of follow-up (mean duration 6 years), 179 women (19%) and 105 men (14%) had died. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for all patients was 1.5 (95% CI: 1.4–1.7). The SMR was higher for men (2.1, CI: 1.7–2.5) than for women (1.3, CI: 1.1–1.5) (p < 0.001). The SMR decreased with advancing age, and the mortality rate was highest for men with humerus fractures.Interpretation In men, the risk of death related to proximal humerus fracture was even higher than that reported previously for hip fracture. Compared to the general population, the SMR was double for humerus fracture patients, whereas wrist fracture had no effect on mortality.