The intertrochanteric fractures of the femur are common in elderly. Recently better implants and surgical techniques have improved the clinical results. But intertrochanteric fractures are still a major source of morbidity and mortality in elderly because of poor general condition and high incidence of osteoporosis. The primary goal of the treatment have been union of the fracture, but it is important to reduce the mortality rate and to return the patients to a prefracture ambulatory status. The authors analyzed the 63 intertrochanteric fractures of the femur in the elderly patients over 70 years old who had heen treated at Korea University Hospital from January 1990 to December 1995 in order to determine the mortality rate and the prognostic factors associated with mortality. Also we analyzed the 44 patients in survivor group about their prefracture ambulatory ability and post-operative ambulatory ability. The results were as fo11ows; 1. There were 44 cases(69.8 %) in survivor group and 19 cases(30.2 %) in non survivor group. The mortlity rate was 20.6% at 1 year after operation. 2. Mortality was associated with the number of medical problems and interval between injury and operation. 3. The recovery of ambulatory ability was associated with the age at injury, associated medical problems, and preinjury ambulatory ability.