Perioperative Complications with General Anesthesia Versus Local Anesthesia for Femoral Neck Fracture Operation

This study compared the use of general versus local anesthesia in patients who underwent surgical operation for femoral neck fracture between 1992 and 1998 at Showa University Fujigaoka Rehabilitation Hospital. The patients were divided into a general anesthesia with oral intubation group and local anesthesia group (epidural anesthesia or spinal anesthesia) . Complications during the perioperative period and the effects of anesthesia were compared between these groups. The results suggested that, in the selection of anesthetic methods, general anesthesia and local anesthesia have both advantages and disadvatages, and either of these methods can be selected. However, care must be taken to give optimal dosage of anesthetic agents and other drugs in anesthetic management because individual differences among elderly patients, who may have coexisting chronic disease, may influence the outcome.