Key result
Prehospital care for neck of femur fractures lacks specific evidence despite potential for improvement.
Why the study?
Several aspects of prehospital care for patients with isolated neck of femur fracture could be improved, but evidence specific to the prehospital environment is lacking.
There is a lack of specific evidence regarding prehospital care for neck of femur fractures, highlighting a need for further research to improve ambulance service protocols.
Prehospital NOF care improvements may reduce mortality and costs; leaves open the need for prospective trials before protocol changes.
Around 65 000 people experience a fractured neck of femur (NOF) each year in the UK. It is estimated that one in 10 patients with an NOF fracture will die within 1 month, and one in three will die within 1 year. The bill for NOF fracture, excluding substantial social care costs, is £1 billion per year. Given the exposure that ambulance services have to these patients, several aspects of NOF fracture care could be improved in the prehospital environment, which could also generate significant savings for the NHS. This article reviews the literature regarding NOF fracture care, and highlights aspects that affect ambulance services and prehospital care. A variety of these, including pain management, fast-track systems, fluid therapy and renal impairments, can be improved, but evidence specific to the prehospital environment is lacking.
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Rory J O’Connor (2019) conducted a review in Neck of femur fracture. Prehospital care was evaluated. Prehospital care for neck of femur fractures, including pain management and fast-track systems, has potential for improvement, but specific evidence in the prehospital environment is lacking.
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