Hip fracture time-to-surgery and mortality revisited: mitigating comorbidity confounding by effect of holidays on surgical timing.

Purpose: The association between delayed hip fracture surgery and mortality remains elusive because of strong confounding by comorbidity factors. We designed a study to investigate the effect of small delays in surgery due to holidays.

Methods: Consecutive hip fractures operated in a high-income, publicly funded healthcare system between 2006 and 2013 were analysed.

[Application of three-dimensional printing technique in orthopaedics].

Objective: To review the current progress of three-dimensional (3-D) printing technique in the clinical practice, its limitations and prospects.

Methods: The recent publications associated with the clinical application of 3-D printing technique in the field of surgery, especially in orthopaedics were extensively reviewed.

Results: Currently, 3-D printing technique has been applied in orthopaedic surgery to aid diagnosis, make operative plans, and produce personalized prosthesis or implants.