While walking home from the train station, M.A., a 72-year-old woman with osteoporosis, tripped over a broken curb and fell. In the emergency department, she was assessed for severe pain, swelling,...

While walking home from the train station, M.A., a 72-year-old woman with osteoporosis, tripped over a broken curb and fell. In the emergency department, she was assessed for severe pain, swelling, and bruising of her left thigh. A radiograph showed a displaced left femoral neck fracture. M.A. was pre pared for surgery and given a preoperative injection of an analgesic to relieve her pain. Intraoperatively, she was given spinal anesthesia and positioned on an operating room table, with her left hip elevated on a small pillow. Intravenous antibiotics were given before the incision. Her left hip was repaired with a bipolar hemiarthroplasty. Postoperative care included maintaining the left hip in abduction, blood and fluid replacement, physical therapy, and vigilance for development of avascular necrosis and possible dislocation.