Does timing of surgery matter in fragility hip fractures?

Osteoporos Int. 2010 Dec;21(Suppl 4):S529-34. doi: 10.1007/s00198-010-1391-2. Epub 2010 Nov 6.

Abstract

The effect of delay of surgery on the geriatric hip fractures has been a subject of interest in the past two decades. While the elderly patients will not tolerate long periods of immobilization, it is still unclear how soon these surgeries need to be performed. A review of existing literature was performed to examine the effect of timing of surgery on the different outcome parameters of these patients. Although there is conflicting evidence that early surgery would improve mortality, there is widespread evidence in the literature that other outcomes including morbidity, the incidence of pressure sores, and the length of hospital stay could be improved by shortening the waiting time of hip fracture surgery. We concluded that it is beneficial to the elderly patients to receive surgical treatment as an urgent procedure as soon as the body meets the basic anesthetic requirements.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Fracture Fixation / methods*
  • Hip Fractures / complications
  • Hip Fractures / mortality
  • Hip Fractures / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Length of Stay
  • Osteoporotic Fractures / complications
  • Osteoporotic Fractures / mortality
  • Osteoporotic Fractures / surgery*
  • Pressure Ulcer / etiology
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome