TY - JOUR
T1 - A new algorithm for hip fracture surgery
T2 - Reoperation rate reduced from 18% to 12% in 2,000 consecutive patients followed for 1 year
AU - Palm, Henrik
AU - Krasheninnikoff, Michael
AU - Holck, Kim
AU - Lemser, Tom
AU - Foss, Nicolai Bang
AU - Jacobsen, Steffen
AU - Kehlet, Henrik
AU - Gebuhr, Peter
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Background and purpose Treatment of hip fracture patients is controversial. We implemented a new operative and supervision algorithm (the Hvidovre algorithm) for surgical treatment of all hip fractures, primarily based on own previously published results. Methods 2,000 consecutive patients over 50 years of age who were admitted and operated on because of a hip fracture were prospectively included. 1,000 of these patients were included after implementation of the algorithm. Demographic parameters, hospital treatment, and reoperations within the first postoperative year were assessed from patient records. Results 931 of 1,000 operative procedures were performed according to the algorithm, as compared to only 726 of 1,000 prior to its introduction (p <0.001). After implementation of the algorithm, junior registrars still performed half of the operations, but unsupervised procedures declined from 192 of 1,000 to 105 of 1,000 (p <0.001). The rate of reoperations declined from 18% to 12% (p <0.001 in a multiple Cox regression analysis), with a decline of 24% to 18% for intracapsular fractures and a decline of 13% to 7% for extracapsular fractures. The proportion of bed-days caused by reoperations was reduced from 24% of total hospitalization before the algorithm was introduced to 18% after it was introduced. Interpretation It is possible to implement an algorithm for treatment of all hip fracture patients in a large teaching hospital. In our case, the Hvidovre algorithm both raised the rate of supervision and reduced the rate of reoperations. The reduced reoperation rate saved many hospital bed-days.
AB - Background and purpose Treatment of hip fracture patients is controversial. We implemented a new operative and supervision algorithm (the Hvidovre algorithm) for surgical treatment of all hip fractures, primarily based on own previously published results. Methods 2,000 consecutive patients over 50 years of age who were admitted and operated on because of a hip fracture were prospectively included. 1,000 of these patients were included after implementation of the algorithm. Demographic parameters, hospital treatment, and reoperations within the first postoperative year were assessed from patient records. Results 931 of 1,000 operative procedures were performed according to the algorithm, as compared to only 726 of 1,000 prior to its introduction (p <0.001). After implementation of the algorithm, junior registrars still performed half of the operations, but unsupervised procedures declined from 192 of 1,000 to 105 of 1,000 (p <0.001). The rate of reoperations declined from 18% to 12% (p <0.001 in a multiple Cox regression analysis), with a decline of 24% to 18% for intracapsular fractures and a decline of 13% to 7% for extracapsular fractures. The proportion of bed-days caused by reoperations was reduced from 24% of total hospitalization before the algorithm was introduced to 18% after it was introduced. Interpretation It is possible to implement an algorithm for treatment of all hip fracture patients in a large teaching hospital. In our case, the Hvidovre algorithm both raised the rate of supervision and reduced the rate of reoperations. The reduced reoperation rate saved many hospital bed-days.
U2 - 10.3109/17453674.2011.652887
DO - 10.3109/17453674.2011.652887
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 22248165
SN - 1745-3674
VL - 83
SP - 26
EP - 30
JO - Acta Orthopaedica (Print Edition)
JF - Acta Orthopaedica (Print Edition)
IS - 1
ER -