Untreated hip fracture as a trigger for rapid frailty progression: a case report

Abstract

The growing elderly population has amplified the burden of frailty, falls, and their complications. Frailty, often linked to sarcopenia, predisposes older adults to disability, mortality, and hip fracture as the most severe consequence. We report an 83-year-old woman with an untreated hip fracture who developed prolonged immobility, pressure ulcers, and rapid frailty progression (Barthel Index ADL: 20 pre-fall, 2 before admission, 0 at admission; Rockwood 8). Imaging revealed a comminuted femoral neck fracture, vertebral collapse, and subacute ischemic infarction. Despite multidisciplinary care, she developed pneumonia with type 1 respiratory failure and died on day five of hospitalization. This case highlights how an untreated hip fracture can trigger a cascade of complications and accelerate frailty, emphasizing the need for early assessment, timely fracture management, and preventive strategies in geriatric care.

Keywords: frailty, falls, untreated fracture, geriatric syndrome, pressure ulcer