This study evaluated the minimum 3 year follow-up results of cementless bipolar hemiarthroplasty in elderly patients more than 80 years of age with a femoral neck fracture.

57 cementless bipolar hemiarthroplasties for femoral neck fractures were performed in elderly patients more than 80 years of age between January 1996 and December 2000. The clinical, radiological results and bone mineral density of 38 hips in 35 patients who could be followed up for at least 3 years were analyzed. The mean age of the patients was 82.5 years (80 to 100 years). 29 patients were women and 6 were men. For all cases, an identical prosthesis (VerSys® fiber metal midcoat collarless stem, Zimmer, Warsaw, Indiana, USA) was implanted.

The average follow-up period was 41 months (36 to 62 months). The average Harris Hip Score was 76.4±14.1 points at the time of the most recent follow-up. An excellent score (90-100 points) was recorded in 2 hips (5%), good (80-89 points) in 10 hips (26%), fair (70-79 points) in 21 hips (55%) and poor (60-69) in 5 hips (13%). The radiological assessment showed that all stems were biological stable, with 20 stems (53%) showing bony ingrowth and 18 stems (47%) having stable fibrous fixation. No cup migration, osteolysis, vertical subsidence, pedestal reaction and varus deposition of the stem etc. were observed. The mean T value of the bone mineral density (BMD) was -3.75±0.75 and was not related to the clinical and radiological results.

Cementless bipolar hemiarthroplasty for elderly patients more than 80 years of age with a femoral neck fracture showed satisfactory short-term results with no relationship to the severity of osteoporosis.