Morbidity and in-hospital mortality after hip fracture surgery on weekends versus weekdays

Abstract

Purpose: To compare morbidity and in-hospital mortality in patients who underwent surgery for femoral neck fracture on weekends versus on weekdays.

Methods: Records of 90 men and 225 women (mean age, 80.5 years) who underwent surgery for femoral neck fractures on weekends or public holidays (n=110) or on weekdays (n=205) were retrospectively reviewed. The morbidity and in-hospital mortality of the 2 groups were compared.

Results: The 2 groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, and time to surgery, but more hemiarthroplasties were performed on weekdays (35.0% vs. 25.0%, p=0.036). Compared with surgery on weekdays, surgery on weekends was associated with increased in-hospital mortality (3.4% vs. 9.1%, p=0.04). None of the potential confounders (age, type of surgery, presenting hospital, and time to surgery) had a significant effect on in-hospital mortality.

Conclusion: In patients with femoral neck fractures, surgery on weekends was associated with increased in-hospital mortality but not with increased morbidity after adjusting for confounders, compared with surgery on weekdays.

Keywords: hip fractures; hospital mortality; morbidity.