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The hospital records of 204 patients (mean age 80 years, range 54-96 years) with a displaced intracapsular femoral neck fracture treated by cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty were examined to record all available data on factors suspected of influencing mortality. The data were analyzed statistically using survival analysis (Cox model). The six months mortality rate was 20% and the one year mortality rate was 28%. The following factors, in order to decreasing importance, had significant influence on mortality: cardiac factors other than previous myocardial infarction; status as a nursing home patient; chronic pulmonary disease; serum creatinine level greater than 1.7 mg/100 ml; pneumonia; previous myocardial infarction; duration of surgery; and gender. The following factors had no significant influence on mortality: age, time delay from admission to surgery, mode of anesthesia, and cerebrovascular diseases. In conclusion, medical conditions were the most important determinants of survival in the present study. The time delay between admission and surgery did not influence the chances of survival. This does not mean that surgical delay beyond that essential for stabilizing the patient is not problematic, but indicates that ample time should be spent on assessment and resuscitation before surgery.
Eiskjær et al. (1991) studied this question.