From January 1982 through December 1992, 102 hips in 100 patients had a primary hemiarthroplasty for the treatment of femur neck and intertrochanteric fractures in the elderly who had severe comminuted fractures or poor bone quality and poor genenral condition. Of these, we reviewed 62 hips in 62 patients with a minimum follow-up over one year.

1. The average age at operation was 71.7 years(50-96 years).

2. The most common cause of injury was slip down in 56 cases(90.4%).

3. Bone quality was evaluated with Singh index radiologically and 42 cases(67.8%) were classified to below grade III.

4. Most patients were possible to sit and start wheel chair ambulation within a week and the average period of time from operation to partial weight bearing was 12.9 days.

5. In clinical evaluation, the average Harris hip score was 75.9 in the femoral neck fractures and 71.9 in intertrochanteric fractures and 73.2 in the unipolar endoprosthesis group and 69.5 in the bipolar endoprosthesis at the final follow up.

6. Postoperatively, 13 hips(21%) had only mild discomfort, 6 hips(10%) had moderate pain, one hip(1.6%) had severe pain on the ipsilateral hip or thigh, or knee.

7. The most common early postoperative complications were superficial wound infection(3 cases, 6.4%).

8. In the radiological evaluation, the most common late postoperative complications were leg length discrepancy(L.L.D) in 6 cases(9.7%) and acetabular erosion in 5 cases(8.1%).

9. In the analysis of the relationship between prosthetic head size compared to acetabular size and acetabular erosion, more proper size of prosthetic head raised less acetabular erosion, 1 case(2.5%), and large size of prosthetic head raised more acetabular erosion, 2 cases(28%). There was no significant difference in the incidence of the acetabular erosion between the unipolar and bipolar endoprosthesis group.

In this study, most of the patients had relatively good results and lower incidence of local or general complictions. Therefore, hemiarthroplasty can be suggested for one of primary treatment method of intertrochanteric fractures and femur neck fractures in elderly patients who had fevere comminuted fractures or poor bone quality and poor general condition.