Do delays in surgery affect outcomes in patients with inter-trochanteric fractures?

Objective: To study the differences in outcomes of early versus delayed surgery in patients with intertrochanteric fractures.

Methods: The retrospective chart review was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised data of patients who underwent surgery for intertrochanteric hip fractures from 2005 to 2010. A gap of >48hours between the event and the surgery was considered a delayed procedure and its impact on outcome was assessed.

Results: Of the 190 patients, 138(72.6%) were in the early group and 52(27.3%) in the delayed group. The most common cause for delay of surgery was electrolyte imbalance in 14(27%) patients. Patients with delayed surgery had more comorbidites and higher ASA grades compared to those that underwent early surgery (p<0.05). Inpatient mortality was significantly higher in the delayed group (p=0.006). Multivariate analysis showed that higher mortality was associated with delay in surgery.

Conclusions: In patients with multiple comorbid conditions, expedited optimisation for surgery may be warranted to reduce mortality.