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My Mom who is 90 plus has fractured two pelvis bones and her tailbone (which I read is rare). All I can find is that it's serious and the mortality rate at one year is 27%.
Is there anything I can do to make sure she does not become one of the 27%? She does have other health issues - to include asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. She also had some sort of leg infection in both legs prior to this for which her GP had her on antibiotics.
I'm trying not to become too alarmed, but I can't help it, especially since she has said "she's ready to go."
I live out of state so it's not like I can spend much time with her. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
She needs a 24/7 caretaker, no stairs obviously.
What kind of infections?
Needs antidepressants.
Needs a complete workup by a board certified internist and cardiologist and (geriatric) psychiatrist.
My 83 year old mom broke her pelvis a year ago and was in a transitional care unit for three weeks after getting out of the hospital. (It was covered under her Medicare, some part that she fortunately signed up for previously, or one of us would have stayed with her or had to hire a caretaker for that time period.) Be sure you stay in touch with her doctors. It's a slow recovery process but she can do it with assistance. Good luck to you.
So sorry about your mother's fall. At age 90 those kind of falls can and often do precipitate a downward spiral. Being bed ridden to heal pelvic fractures can take a heavy toll on the elderly and can cause additional complications.
Most likely your mother will need to go to a nursing home type facility for physical therapy/rehabilitation following her release from the hospital.
You are right to be alarmed. I hope there is some family who lives closer who will be able to keep an eye out and make regular visits to help keep her spirits up.
If your mother is "ready to go", she may not recover...you need to be prepared for that. Attitude is everything. Especially in someone her age, with multiple illnesses/conditions, being bedridden is not the best thing!
Good luck to her...and you!
Totally depends on what she fractured and pelvic stability.
If she has pubic rami fractures which are very common in the elderly, bed rest isn't required. Patients can be up and walking the next day with a walker.
Coccyx fractures aren't rare and they also aren't dangerous, may need to sit on a donut for awhile but similarly no real impairment for walking.
If she has an unstable pelvis, acetabular fracture, hip fracture or any pelvic fracture that requires surgery than that is a different story.
My Mom who is 90 plus has fractured two pelvis bones and her tailbone (which I read is rare). All I can find is that it's serious and the mortality rate at one year is 27%.
Is there anything I can do to make sure she does not become one of the 27%? She does have other health issues - to include asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. She also had some sort of leg infection in both legs prior to this for which her GP had her on antibiotics.
I'm trying not to become too alarmed, but I can't help it, especially since she has said "she's ready to go."
I live out of state so it's not like I can spend much time with her. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
Does your mom live alone or is she in an assiste living facility? If she lives alon then she needs a nurses aid to be with her.
Thanks for all your replies. I get more information from you than I do my own family. Mind you, I have a couple of very smart brothers and a sister who is a nurse and I have asked if any internal organs have been involved or are at risk of being involved and if the fractures are open or closed and never got an answer.
So tonight I'm feeling pretty upset and thinking that I'd better go visit her pretty soon. I want some answers, but this is not the first time I've been shut out of things. All I get is "oh, she's doing pretty good" but nothing else. I KNOW they have to know so why isn't anyone telling me?
I don't want to think the worst, but I'm not too pleased right now. All I could find (and anyone please correct me if this is wrong) is that if a pelvis is fractured in more than one place it's an unstable fracture and that moderate to severe hemorrage (sp?) goes along with this. And I know the mortality rate is something like 50 plus percent if it's an open fracture and at her age with her conditions I am worried sick.
I sent another email tonight asking if they knew/know exactly how severe or not severe things are (with the very specifics I want answered) and, if not, to please point me in the direction where I can get some answers. I am going to be shut out once again, I have a feeling. I had no clue my father was given last rites on his birthday until after the fact nor that he'd stopped taking in any food or fluids until someone aside from my immediate family felt I had a right to know. I am worried and angry.
I'm a third semester nursing student and have ER experience, so I will give you my thoughts and opinions.
First, does she have osteoporosis. I know she's 90, but if she broke that many bones when she fell, it seems likely to me that she has some issues with bone density. As an aside, my grandmother had pretty severe osteoporosis, and the orthopedic surgeons eventually refused to do any more surgeries on her because they stated that her bones would not survive the hammering, drilling, and manipulation of surgery.
Yes, if the pelvis is fractured severely enough, the displaced bones can cut through veins and arteries, and there is a risk for moderate to severe bleeding. We see this frequently in trauma patients. It is called an unstable pelvic fracture. I've seen it in people run over by cars, or those in motor vehicle accidents.
Your mom needs to be in a hospital. She needs IV fluids to maintain blood volume, possible blood transfusions if she's in shock from blood loss, x-rays, and, possibly, surgery. I doubt any surgeon will touch a 90 year old with that many fractures, but you never know. With her other preexisting conditions, the clinical picture isn't good.
Good luck! Let us know how things go.
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