Mortality Rate and Quality of Life in Patients with Intertrochanteric Fractures Treated with Dynamic Hip Screw

Intertrochanteric (IT) fracture is one of the most common fractures in adults. Dynamic hip screw (DHS) surgery is a surgical procedure for IT fracture treatment. This study evaluated the mortality rate and quality of life (QOL) among these patients one year after the surgery.

This cohort study was conducted on 110 patients with IT fractures treated with DHS from 2017 to 2019. A questionnaire was completed for each patient before, during, and after surgery. Preoperative information included demographics, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), smoking, diabetes, variables such as IT fracture classification, injury mechanism, lateral wall, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) comorbidity classification. Tip-apex distance (TAD), nail position at the femoral head, and the amount of bleeding during the operation were achieved during and immediately after the surgery. The mortality rate was determined one year after the surgery, and the surviving patients were assessed by the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) questionnaire.

The mortality rate among patients who underwent DHS was 31.81%. There was no significant difference between living and dead patients regarding demographic information, surgical techniques, and comorbidities. There was no association between patients regarding the average of all areas of physical, mental, and overall health and gender. There was no significant relationship between the mean of physical and mental health with the duration of hospital stay and the amount of bleeding during surgery. A history of diabetes, high blood pressure, and smoking in these patients was not associated with mortality and QOL.

The patient’s age is the most important risk factor for mortality after the DHS surgery.