Non-operative treatment of elderly patients with femoral neck fracture.

Surgery is the routine management for elderly individuals with femoral neck fracture, in order to reduce the morbidity and the mortality and to relieve pain. Sixteen elderly patients with displaced femoral neck fractures who were unfit for surgeries were treated conservatively. The mortality in this group was not higher than reported following surgical management. Close nursing care, physiotherapy and pain management helped in improving the status and function of these patients. When non-operative treatment of femoral neck fracture is deemed necessary in elderly patients, an intensive medical input is necessary to alleviate pain and enable them to return their function near to pre-injury status.