Abdominal complication following femoral fracture: a case report of acute obstructive abdomen in an elderly patient : Complicación abdominal tras fractura de fémur: reporte de un abdomen agudo obstructivo en adulto mayor

• Autores: Palacios-Vintimilla, Diego Patricio, Palacios-Mora, Domenica Patricia, Abad-Espinoza, Sofía del Carmen
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2026
• Institución: Universidad de Ciencias y Humanidades
• Repositorio: Health care & global health
• Lenguaje: español
• OAI Identifier: oai:ojs.openhgh.org:article/375
• Enlace del recurso: http://revista.uch.edu.pe/index.php/hgh/article/view/375
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto

Femur fracture in older adults is a highly prevalent traumatic event that carries an elevated risk of perioperative complications and mortality. The objective of this report is to highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and close monitoring to detect atypical and potentially fatal complications in the postoperative period of orthopedic surgery. We describe the case of a 75-year-old man with a history of chronic alcoholism and smoking who was admitted after a fall that resulted in a right femur fracture. Following open reduction and internal fixation, the patient developed an acute obstructive abdomen. During exploratory laparotomy, a necrotic segment of terminal ileum was identified, requiring resection and ileocolic anastomosis. The clinical course was further complicated by nosocomial infections and renal dysfunction. Nevertheless, thanks to timely surgical intervention and comprehensive management in the intensive care unit, the patient progressed favorably until hospital discharge. The relevance of this case lies in illustrating how an unusual abdominal complication can alter the clinical course of a geriatric patient after orthopedic surgery. It also reinforces the need to implement protocols for surveillance, early diagnosis, and interdisciplinary coordination to optimize clinical outcomes. Keywords: Hip Fractures; Acute, Abdomen;  Intestinal Obstruction;  Ileum; Necrosis; Postoperative Complications (Source: MeSH, NLM).