Hip Fractures in Elderly – Epidemics Still to Come

Introduction: Throughout the world, life expectancy has risen to well above 70 years. There is an expected increase in the number of hip fractures.

Materials and Methods: At the University Clinic of Traumatology in Skopje, 136 patients with hip fracture of age 65 and above were treated between 2012- 2014. The patients were divided into two groups: one consisting of the patients operated in the first 24 hours, and other treated after 24 hours. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined; comorbidities and previous surgeries were noted. Patients were analyzed in a follow-up period of one year.

Results: The average survival time analyzed for one year after the surgery in the group operated within the first 24 hours post injury was 328.4 days (300.7 to 343.6) and 279.3 (251.2 to 309.7) days average survival time in patients operated after 24 hours of hospital admission. At one year postoperative follow up a total of 14 patients who were operated within the first 24 hours of admission died compared to significantly more- 28 patients operated after 24 hours. Presence of comorbidities, ASA score, postoperative complications and hemoglobin values were also shown to influence the survival time.

Conclusion: Our results showed that the patients operated within 24 hours after admission have a longer survival time. The number of variables that could be modified by the surgeon in order to reduce the morbidity and mortality is limited.