Mortality patterns following internal fixation for acute femoral neck fractures in the elderly with special emphasis on potential excess mortality following reoperations.

Mortality patterns and excess mortality have been studied and quantified in 103 patients treated with internal fixation for acute, displaced femoral neck fractures with special emphasis on the potential excess mortality which may follow later operations for capital necrosis, failure of the osteosynthesis, etc. Of 103 patients studied 31 needed one or more reoperations. We have confirmed previously published reports that excess mortality is limited to the first six months after the primary operation. Quantification of the excess mortality which may follow reoperations shows that later operations are not followed by an increased death rate compared with the standard population.