Objective To explore the effectiveness of bipolar femoral head replacement combined with tension band wire fixation for intertrochanteric fracture in elderly osteoporotic patients. Methods Bipolar femoral head replacement combined with tension band wire fixation were used for intertrochanteric fracture in 48 elderly osteoporotic patients between January 2004 and December 2010. Of 48 patients, 15 were male and 33 were female, aged 90-99 years (mean, 94.1 years). All fractures were caused by falling, and pathological fracture was excluded. It was 2-7 days (mean, 4.2 days) from fracture to surgery. According to the Tronzo Evans classification, 25 cases were rated as type IV, 20 cases as type III, and 3 cases as type II. And all of the cases were accompanied with severe osteoporosis and accompanied by more than one medical diseases, and 10 cases had spinal compression fracture. Results All patients underwent the operation successfully. Six cases died of underlying medical illness within 2 years postoperatively. A total of 39 cases were followed up 2-7 years, averaged 3.1 years. After operation, short-term mental disorders occurred in 9 cases, suspected urinary tract infection in 2 cases, sacral rear bedsore in 1 case, hip pain in 1 case, thigh pain in 1 case, and deep vein thrombosis of affected limb in 1 case. All the incisions healed by first intension, and X-ray film showed bone union in all cases; no complications of bone osteolysis, prosthesis loosening, subsidence, rupture, and heterotopic ossification occured postoperatively. No case needed revision. According to the Harris score system, the results were excellent in 5 cases, good in 28 cases, fair in 5 cases, and poor in 1 case, with an excellent and good rate of 84.6%; the score at 2 years was significantly higher than that at 6 weeks (t= — 14.79, P=0.00). The physical health score and mental health score of SF-12 at 2 years postoperatively were significantly higher than those at 6 weeks postoperatively (P lt; 0.05). The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at 6 weeks and 2 years postoperatively were significantly lower than those at preoperation (P lt; 0.05), and the score at 2 years was significantly lower than that at 6 weeks (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion The bipolar femoral head replacement combined with tension band wire fixation for intertrochanteric fracture in elderly osteoporotic patients has the advantages of firm fixation, early function exercise with load bearing, pain relieving, improving hip function, and avoiding complication in bed.