Fractures of hip and pelvis

[Pinklady81]

Hello everyone

My elderly grandmother who is 92 broke her hip and femur in the Summer and successfully had a rod fitted, she had some time in respite and was living independently in her own flat with a carer coming to help her with morning needs etc. She has now fallen again and fractured her pelvis pubic rami bone? 3 times and told no weight bearing for 6 weeks . She's currently still in hospital and in considerable pain worse than her hip fracture she said . It's just so upsetting to see her like this after we thought she was potentially getting better after a significant injury to her hip and leg. Has anyone got any words of wisdom or advice in the run up to Christmas? 😀

No words of wisdom but sympathy and hugs.

Again no real advice just experience as an orthopaedic surgeon...

At 92, to be back home after a hip fracture means she's recovered better than the large majority of similar patients, but a second fragility fracture in a short time is a worrying sign of significant underlying frailty.

Restricted weightbearing at 92 while still recovering from another recent injury will be very difficult.

DM (89) has broken one hip (10 years ago) and had replacement, fractured the same bone as your DM (a year ago) and then broken the other hip and had a replacement.
The Pubic Rami fracture was the most painful and took the longest to heal (about 2 months). However, she was supposed to weight bear as this would not do further damage and would ensure the muscle strength was maintained. But due to the pain she did not really engage with the physio etc and has not walked properly since.
Also the last 2 hospital stays really affected her cognitively.
Sorry to be such a downer.
At 92 to recover from a hip replacement and live virtually independently is remarkable.

Sorry to hear about others going through this with their elderly relatives.
DM has had a failed hip replacement after a fall, and the hospital said the only option was a 'salvage' op called a Girdlestone procedure. They take out the joint entirely so now DM has no hope of ever walking again.
FixTheBone do you have any experience of this op?

Thank you @FixTheBone we just don't know where to go from here is this the end of mobility for my grandmother and a nursing home the option? It's just so sad to see

It'll normally be done if the failure is due to infection, or recurrent dislocation for a patient that couldn't cope with a bigger operation. It's done to improve pain but significantly reduces mobility

Highly likely she'd be less mobile, and they can take a long time to heal.

Restricted weight bearing is a pain as you end up in limbo - not mobile enough to go home, Rehab will say no Rehab potential until able to weightbear.... I'd push for an intermediate care bed, or try and see if there's any possibility of a rehab bed on the hip fracture (nof) unit if there is one.