Delay in hip fracture surgery for more than 24 hrs ups odds of death

A study has recently warned that patients waiting for more than 24 hours to undergo a hip fracture surgery may be linked to an increased risk of death and complications.

Researchers from the University of Toronto analysed 42,230 adults, who had a hip fracture surgery between April 2009 and March 2014 at 72 hospitals in Ontario, Canada.

They measured time in hours from arrival at emergency department until surgery (exposure) and death within 30 days of hospital admittance.

The researchers observed exposures and outcomes for patients as they occur naturally in clinical care or real life.

The results indicated that the patients, who had surgery for hip fracture after 24 hours, had an increased risk of death compared to patients who had surgery within 24 hours (6.5 per cent vs 5.8 per cent).

The risk of complications, such as heart attack, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and pneumonia, were also higher for patients who had surgery after 24 hours, explained study author Daniel Pincus from.

Sick patients, who may have died awaiting surgery, were not included in the study.

The research appears in the Jama Network journal.