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- Talk
- 15/09/2021
- Canada
Increased Hospital Length of Stay is Associated With Delays in Surgical Fixation of Hip Fractures
Description
In this presentation, Justin Murphy, an orthopedic surgery resident from Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland, discusses the critical issue of timely surgical fixation for hip fractures and its impact on hospital length of stay. He begins by outlining the established correlation between early surgical intervention—ideally within 48 hours—and improved patient outcomes, including reduced morbidity and mortality rates as evidenced in multiple studies dating back to the early '90s.
Murphy highlights significant findings from studies, pointing out that surgery performed within 24 hours shows beneficial effects on hospital stays, while more recent literature confirms that treatment within 48 hours is the current benchmark for optimal recovery. He navigates through various research outcomes including data from the HIP ATTACK trial that, while demonstrating quick surgical fixes did not significantly reduce mortality, did showcase shorter hospital stays for patients.
The study he presents involves a retrospective cohort review of approximately 1,200 patient charts over five years, aiming to quantify the relationship between the timing of surgery and hospital length of stay, as well as one-year mortality outcomes. Notably, results indicate a marked increase in length of stay for surgeries conducted after 48 hours, along with a rise in one-year mortality rates. Murphy concludes by affirming the necessity of adhering to the 48-hour guideline for surgery post-fracture, discussing the limitations of his study and stressing the value of further research to refine these insights.