Managing Geriatric Patients with Falls and Fractures

Carla T Williams; Jeremy Whyman; Julia Loewenthal; Karen Chahal

doi:10.1016/j.ocl.2023.04.001

Managing Geriatric Patients with Falls and Fractures

Orthop Clin North Am. 2023 Jul;54(3S):e1-e12. doi: 10.1016/j.ocl.2023.04.001. Epub 2023 May 31.

Authors

Carla T Williams¹, Jeremy Whyman², Julia Loewenthal³, Karen Chahal⁴

Affiliations

¹ Division of Gerontology, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 1 Brookline Place, Suite 230, Boston, MA 02445, USA. Electronic address: cwilli24@bidmc.harvard.edu.
² Harvard Medical School Multicampus Geriatric Fellowship Program, Division of Gerontology, Section of Palliative Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
³ Division of Aging, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ Geriatric Inpatient Fracture Trauma Service (GIFTS), Department of Gerontology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.

PMID: 37349065
DOI: 10.1016/j.ocl.2023.04.001

Abstract

Orthopedic fractures in adults 65 and older are common and can lead to functional decline and increased morbidity and mortality. Falls are often the precipitating event for fractures in this population, linked to common aging physiology with increasing comorbid conditions and advancing frailty. Managing falls and orthopedic fractures in the geriatric population is complex, requiring a systematic and collaborative approach spearheaded by a multidisciplinary team focused on improving patient outcomes.

Keywords: Fragility fractures; Frailty; Hip fractures; Orthopedics; Perioperative assessment; Postoperative care.

Published by Elsevier Inc.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Fractures, Bone*
Geriatric Assessment
Hip Fractures*
Humans
Morbidity
Orthopedics*