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F Gebhard

Publications and source records attributed to F Gebhard.

95 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
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[Epidemiology of accidental falls in the elderly].

INTRODUCTION: There is a lack of epidemiological data on falls and fall-related injuries for the aged population in Germany. The purpose of the article is to present the available data focusing on the incidence of the fracture types that carry the highest risk for mortality, hospitalization and persisting disabilities. METHODS: The paper reports on a 10% representative sample that was drawn by the Federal Bureau of Statistics. A medline search for 1980-1998 was performed to identify relevant articles. The OECD database was used for mortality rates after injurious falls. If no sufficient data were published for Germany, incidence rates of demographic comparable European regions are reported. RESULTS: The number of fractures of the lower extremity (ICD 820-829) followed by hospitalization was 139,000 in 1996 for elderly (65+ years). Fractures of the upper extremities (ICD 810-819) requiring hospitalisation were reported for 65,000 persons aged 65+ years and head trauma (ICD 850-851) followed by hospitalization in this age group for 29,000 persons. There remains an information gap on the incidence of falls and fall-related sequelae without hospitalization in Germany. CONSEQUENCES: Facing, the demographic transgression the prevention of falls and fall-related injuries gains a high priority. Operative management and rehabilitation procedures for elderly trauma patients should be further evaluated and improved.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Therapy of para-articular hip fractures in the elderly].

UNLABELLED: Fractures of the hip in old patients are life-threatening events. A steady increase of that fracture type is likely in the near future. Surgical therapies and strategies have to consider the special requirements and problems of geriatric patients to achieve better results. They have to be designed together with new concepts of geriatric rehabilitation programmes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 1992 148 patients with hip fractures were treated at the department of traumatology, University Ulm. Follow-up parameters were daily activities in life pre- and postoperatively as well as mortality, type of fracture and surgical treatment. RESULTS: There were 79 femur fractures of the collum and 69 fractures of the trochanteric region. Mean age was at 81.2 and 81.9 years respectively (68 f/11 m versus 52 f/13 m). At the time point of accident 84 patients lived at home whereas the remaining stayed at a nursing home. The highest mortality was found in patients living in a nursing home (93%). The overall mortality one year following the trauma was 26%. 50% of the patients had hip prosthetic replacement, the remaining received a gliding screw, 9 patients a proximal femoral nail or lag screws (n = 6). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that hip fractures in geriatric patients have a high mortality, especially in those living in a nursing home. The surgical concepts should aim to reduce that number and to allow the same daily activity of life as preoperatively. The main part in these concepts is an early start of geriatric rehabilitation. There are at least two groups. On the one hand, the active old patient who acquires his fracture during an activity. In this cases the aim must be the full rehabilitation and afterwards returning to normal environment. On the other hand there are the patients living in a nursing home who have the highest risk of injury related death. In these patients the first aim must be prevention of the accident.

Aged↗