Long-term outcome after repair of fractured neck of femur. Comparison of subarachnoid and general anaesthesia.
One hundred and forty-eight patients undergoing "pin-and-plate" repair of fractured neck of femur received either subarachnoid blockade or general anaesthesia. The patients were followed up for 1 year after surgery. At the end of the year, 34% had died and 50% had returned home. Twelve per cent were either in hospital or in institutional care; 4% were lost to follow up. The mean duration of acute plus convalescent hospital bed occupancy was 84.4 days. There was a significantly lower mortality in the subarachnoid anaesthetic group by 14 days after surgery. The majority of the deaths in the general anaesthetic group were clustered between 6 and 16 days. However, at the end of 2 months the mortality rates were similar in both groups. It is conceivable that the difference in the distribution of deaths between the groups was a result of thrombo-embolism.
D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D003289:Convalescence; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D011897:Random Allocation; D013997:Time Factors