[Treatment of hip fractures in a department of general surgery and a department of orthopedic surgery. A comparison]

Abstract

All patients treated for fractures of the hip in 1989 in a department of general surgery and a department of orthopedics were included in this study. Data regarding demographics, length of hospitalization, rehabilitation, postoperative complications, types of fractures and modes of operation were retrospectively registered and compared. Mean length of hospitalization was significantly longer and the incidence of postoperative complications was significantly higher in the department of general surgery when compared to the specialized department of orthopedics especially with regard to wound infections and the formation of bedsores. We tentatively propose reasons for these differences.