What is hip fracture surgery done with?

An intramedullary nail is a strong rod placed inside the hollow centre of a bone, usually along the thighbone. Screws pass through the nail to control the broken pieces and help maintain alignment while the bone heals. Depending on the location and shape of the break, a plate and screws or a screw-based construct may be more suitable.

Some fractures near the hip joint are treated with partial or total joint replacement rather than fixation. The choice depends on whether the break is stable, whether the joint surface is involved, bone strength, mobility before the injury, and general health. The metal device supports alignment; it does not replace the healing process.

Ask exactly how much weight you may put through the operated leg and whether a walking frame is required. Keep the wound clean as instructed, take prescribed medicines correctly, and begin the recommended exercises. Follow-up imaging may be used to check alignment and healing. Tell the team about new confusion, dizziness, constipation, or difficulty managing pain, since these can interfere with safe walking and recovery.

Seek prompt medical advice for fever, increasing wound redness or drainage, rapidly worsening pain, a newly swollen calf, or inability to move the leg as instructed. Chest pain, sudden breathlessness, fainting, or severe new confusion require urgent assessment. A fall or a new change in leg position should also be reported because the fixation or hip may need checking.

Which device is being used and where will it sit? When may I bear weight? What signs suggest a wound problem, clot, or loss of alignment?