Clinicians need knowledge about early and valid predictors of short-term outcome of patients with hip fracture, to adjust and plan rehabilitation. The concept of multimodal rehabilitation has proven effective. Still, some patients do not regain basic mobility independency in the acute orthopaedic setting. The aim was to examine the predictive value of age, sex, prefracture functional level, mental and health status, and fracture type of in-hospital basic mobility outcome, and discharge destination after hip fracture surgery. A total of 213 consecutive patients (157 women and 56 men) with a median age of 82 (25–75% quartile, 75–88) years, admitted from their own home, and following a multimodal rehabilitation concept, were included. Fifty percent of patients had a high prefracture functional level, evaluated by the New Mobility Score (NMS), 77 and 62% had respectively, a high mental and health status, and the distribution of cervical versus intertrochanteric fractures were equally divided.Purpose
Subjects
We implemented an exhaustive operative and supervision algorithm for surgical treatment of hip fractures primarily based on own previously published literature. The purpose was to improve supervision and reduce the rate of reoperations. 2000 consecutive unselected patients above 50 years admitted with a hip fracture were included, 1000 of these prospectively after implementation of the algorithm. Demographic parameters, hospital treatment and reoperations within the first postoperative year were assessed from patient records. The algorithm dictated the surgical treatment based on three objective patient parameters: age, new mobility score and fracture classification on pre-operative anterior-posterior and axial radiographs. Intra capsular fractures were treated with two parallel implants, a sliding hip screw, an arthroplasty or resection of the femoral head. Extra capsular fractures were treated with a sliding hip screw or an intramedullary nail. Supervision of junior registrars was mandatory for the prosthesis and intramedullary nail procedures.Introduction
Materials and methods
Our aim was to determine the total blood loss associated with surgery for fracture of the hip and to identify risk factors for increased blood loss. We prospectively studied 546 patients with hip fracture. The total blood loss was calculated on the basis of the haemoglobin difference, the number of transfusions and the estimated blood volume. The hidden blood loss, in excess of that observed during surgery, varied from 547 ml (screws/ pins) to 1473 ml (intramedullary hip nail and screw) and was significantly associated with medical complications and increased hospital stay. The type of surgery, treatment with aspirin, intra-operative hypotension and gastro-intestinal bleeding or ulceration were all independent predictors of blood loss. We conclude that total blood loss after surgery for hip fracture is much greater than that observed intra-operatively. Frequent post-operative measurements of haemoglobin are necessary to avoid anaemia.
