Evaluation of the epidemiological profile of elderly with transtrocanteric fractures attended in medium complexity hospital

Guimarães, J. A. M. B., Lima, J. C. de, Souza, G. S. de, Guimarães, N. F. B., Guimarães, P. F. B., Machado, M. C. F. de P., & Galvão, P. V. M.

Authors

Guimarães, J. A. M. B., Lima, J. C. de, Souza, G. S. de, Guimarães, N. F. B., Guimarães, P. F. B., Machado, M. C. F. de P., & Galvão, P. V. M. Author

Abstract

The aging process of the Brazilian population has culminated in a need to recognize the existence of an orthopedic epidemic. This phenomenon consists of an increase in the number of fractures in the elderly, especially transtrochanteric ones. The study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological profile of elderly patients undergoing osteosynthesis of transtrochanteric fractures in a medium-complexity hospital, as this condition raises government costs with hospital admissions, surgeries, and rehabilitation, representing a major social and economic problem, making it necessary to improve the investigation of this phenomenon. This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study with data from medical records of elderly people affected by these fractures between 2016 and 2018. The analysis was performed using the R program, version 3.4.3. 236 patients participated in the study, with a mean age of 82 ± 8.31 years, predominantly women, widowers, and hypertensive individuals. The average length of stay was 3 ± 8.31 days, with an average cost of R$ 1,812.00. The most common fractures were 31A2.3 (AO classification) and variant III (Tronzo classification). Preoperative blood transfusion was required in 43.64% of cases. It is concluded that the profile of elderly patients seen in this study due to transtrochanteric fractures presents the already recognized pattern of greater victimization of women, without a partner and with comorbidities that compromise balance, such as hypertension.