title: Effects of delayed hip fracture surgery on mortality and morbidity in elderly patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of delaying hip fracture surgery on mortality and morbidity in elderly patients are not completely understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the effects of delays in surgical treatment of hip fracture on mortality, postoperative complications, length of stay in hospital, and functional recovery, in elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied two groups of patients with hip fractures. The first group was studied retrospectively (n = 109); these patients had been exposed to an average delay in receiving surgical treatment of more than 1 week owing to a fire at our hospital. Patients in the second group (n = 79), which we studied prospectively, were operated on within 48 hours of experiencing the fracture or as soon as their medical condition permitted. Rates of mortality and complications were registered for each group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a larger number of complications in the group with a delay in surgical treatment (pressure ulcer, urinary infection, deep vein thrombosis, and postoperative length of stay), but there were no differences in mortality or functional recovery at 3 months and 1 year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 1-week delay in the surgical treatment of elderly patients with hip fractures did not increase the mortality rate or prolong the period of recovery but did increase the incidence of postoperative complications. Our experience suggests elderly patients with hip fractures should be operated on as soon as their medical condition permits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level III, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, University Hospital Reina Sofia, Menendez Pidal Avenue, 14004 Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Fernandez
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adarraga-Cansino
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carpintero
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors