Why the study?
Does operative delay worsen rehabilitation outcomes in fit women undergoing hemiarthroplasty for subcapital femoral neck fracture?
Does operative delay worsen rehabilitation outcomes in fit women undergoing hemiarthroplasty for subcapital femoral neck fracture?
A subcapital fracture in an otherwise fit elderly patient should be regarded as a surgical emergency to improve rehabilitation outcomes.
Shorter delay was associated with better rehabilitation; leaves open whether expediting surgery improves outcomes in randomized trials.
One hundred and forty five women who had undergone hemiarthroplasty for a subcapital fracture of the femoral neck but who were otherwise fit were studied to determine whether undue delay between injury and operation influenced their social circumstances three months after surgery. The median delay for those patients who showed good rehabilitation at three months was 29 hours, but for those who showed poor rehabilitation it was 57 hours. This difference was significant. It is suggested that a subcapital fracture in an otherwise fit elderly patient should therefore be regarded as a surgical emergency.
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Villar et al. (1986) studied this question.
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