iarjmsIARJMSIARJMS2708-3594https://doi.org/10.47310/iarjms.2022.v03i02.026Post-Operative Complications, Limb Length Discrepancy and Weight Bearing among Elderly Cases of Fracture Neck of Femur Treated by Bipolar Hip Arthroplasty at Tertiary Care HospitalSidharathSoodMukundLalSachinSudAnkitaThakurBackground: The current study was conducted at Indira Gandhi Medical College in Shimla to assess the post-operative problems, limb length discrepancy and weight bearing among fracture neck femur patients over the age of 70 who underwent modular bipolar hip arthroplasty. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla. It included both prospective and retrospective cases who were operated by posterolateral approach of hip joint for unstable fracture neck of femur and treated with modular bipolar hip arthroplasty. A prospective cases included 35 patients from May 2016 onwards and retrospective cases included 25 traceable operated patients in last 5 years. Results: The mean average age of the patients was 78.5±6.87 years with female predominance of 67% and involving left side in 57% of patients. Results could be assessed in 56 patients only as 4 patients died in postoperative period while at hospital secondary to multiple systemic co-morbidities, 78% patients had uneventful post-operative period secondary to early mobilization whereas only 6 patients who declined to be mobilized from bed developed Grade 1 bed sores following surgery. It was found that from our 54 patients most patients (87%) had limb length discrepancy of less than 1 cm. On X-ray examinations of 54 patients were available, stem was found to be in valgus placement (37%) or central (46.3%) in majority. Small number had stem in varus. None of patients had heterotrophic ossification or calcification or dislocation. Most patients (52) were mobilized by 2nd week with weight bearing to tolerance (96.2%) i.e. 15 patients in 1st week and 37 patients in 2nd week. Only 2 prospective patients failed to mobilize after 2 week hospital stay, among which one patient had Alzheimer's disease while another had renal dysfunction. Most of the patients started almost full weight bearing with walker at the time of 1st mobilization but were very comfortable in doing full weight bearing after 3 weeks. Conclusion: Present study concluded that only minor complications were observed in our series. Grade 1 bedsore, DVT, superficial infection, UTI and Pneumonia were the common complications among elderly cases of fracture neck of femur who undergone bipolar hip arthroplasty. All the complications were managed satisfactorily. Since the morbidity was minimal, weight bearing was started early in all patients.