Description The femur, or thigh...
Description
The femur, or thigh bone, connects to the pelvis at the hip joint. Hip fractures are breaks in the upper part of the femur where it meets the pelvis. 0ver 200,000 hip fractures occur every year, with 50% of those in people age 80 or over. These fractures need to be repaired and carry a high mortality if left untreated. Most are related to osteoporosis and occur after a fall.
Symptoms
Hip pain, shortening of the leg, knee pain, inability to walk, pain with standing.
Tests
Common tests used for diagnosis and treatment
Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed. Generally an X-ray establishes the diagnosis. In equivocal cases a CT scan and/or MRI may be helpful.
Tests:
Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), CT Scan, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray
Specialists:
Orthopedic Surgery
Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed. Generally an X-ray establishes the diagnosis. In equivocal cases a CT scan and/or MRI may be helpful.
Tests:
Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), CT Scan, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray
Specialists:
Orthopedic Surgery
Treatment
Treatment includes pain medications and surgical repair. Medications to prevent recurrent osteoporotic fractures include calcium, vitamin D and a bisphosphonate medication (such as alendronate or risedronate).