Quality Of Life Following Hemiarthroplasty in the Elderly

Background: Fractures neck of the femur in the elderly population, are common and often a devastating condition leading to morbidity and sometimes even mortality if not treated or appropriately addressed. The optimal treatment has been a subject of debate. Arthroplasty or surgical fixation gives good outcomes among others. Health-related quality of life is a useful tool in assessing the outcome of hemiarthroplasty. This study compared the quality of life of the elderly patients before and after hemiarthroplasty using EQ-5D and EQ-VAS health questionnaires as a tool.

Methodology: This was a prospective descriptive study done over 18 months on elderly people with fractured neck of the femur who had hemiarthroplasty at the national orthopaedic hospital, Dala, Kano, Nigeria. This study was designed to measure the outcome of hemiarthroplasty using health-related quality of life with EQ-5D and EQ-VAS health questionnaires as a tool.

Result: There was a significant change in the quality of life indices observed during the pre-operative period and six months after surgery (P<0.05). This significant change was seen using both the EQ-5D descriptive system and the EQ-VAS.

Conclusion: Hemiarthroplasty improves the health-related quality of life among elderly patients with fractured necks of the femur. The EQ-5D and EQ-VAS health questionnaires are valuable tools in assessing the health-related QoL following hemiarthroplasty