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Suggest Treatment For Greater Lesser Trochanteric Fractures
Question: my father has got a crack from greater trochantric region to lesser trochantric region in right leg 10 days ago after facing an accident. He can not lift the right leg now. doctor prescribed traction for 4 week. Pain is not reducing. whether to go for operation or not?
Brief Answer:
Traction should be tried.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
At the age of 72, a fracture of greater trochanter should be treated conservatively by traction. Surgery is not considered a first line treatment in elderly patients, as they sometimes have cardiac, pulmonary, and psychiatric co-morbidities, and a surgical procedure may carry too high a risk for substantial morbidity and mortality. Prior to surgery, elderly patients need to be medically evaluated to minimize any potential risks of surgery. Medical work-up usually involves evaluating the patient for hypertension, heart disease (including coronary artery disease, dysrhythmias, and congestive heart failure), diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cerebral vascular disease, and urinary tract infection.
The recovery in surgery is also delayed due to these medical problems. It is best to consider traction first and in case favorable results are not seen after 2-3 weeks then surgical treatment should be considered.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal
Traction should be tried.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
At the age of 72, a fracture of greater trochanter should be treated conservatively by traction. Surgery is not considered a first line treatment in elderly patients, as they sometimes have cardiac, pulmonary, and psychiatric co-morbidities, and a surgical procedure may carry too high a risk for substantial morbidity and mortality. Prior to surgery, elderly patients need to be medically evaluated to minimize any potential risks of surgery. Medical work-up usually involves evaluating the patient for hypertension, heart disease (including coronary artery disease, dysrhythmias, and congestive heart failure), diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cerebral vascular disease, and urinary tract infection.
The recovery in surgery is also delayed due to these medical problems. It is best to consider traction first and in case favorable results are not seen after 2-3 weeks then surgical treatment should be considered.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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