Fractures in elderly due to falls registered in a traumatology tertiary reference hospital in the year 2004

Abstract

The falls followed by fractures in elderly patients consist in an important cause of morbidity and mortality, being a public health problem, due to the high incidence of cases, their seriousness and socioeconomic cost. They may range from a small lesion to the loss of mobility and even death. This study aimed at analyzing the topographical distribution, from the anatomical aspect, of post-fall fractures in elders registered at the Dr. José Frota Institute, in Fortaleza – Ceará, relating it to the gender, the age group, internment period and possible complications. This was an epidemiological, descriptive and retrospective study based on data collected from documented evidence. The study population was composed of patients over 60, victims of post-fall fractures, attended at the institution, in the year 2004. As results, it was verified that 50.25% of the fractures occurred in the neck of the femur, followed by femoral shaft fractures (15.57%), cranial fractures (12.57%) and radium (9.58%). Approximately 36.5% stayed interned from 1 to 10 days, the majority of the cases being female (55.69%), with predominance of the age group above 81 years old. In males, the most affected age group was that of 76 to 80 years old, comprising 28.38% of the men. From this research, it was possible to delineate a profile of the risk factors of fractures in elderly, allowing studies directed to susceptive groups.