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Outcomes of hip fracture surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic
Sherrie Wang1, MaKenzie Chambers1, Kelsey Martin2
1Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, 401 Broadway, Camden, NJ, 08103, USA.
Insights
Hospital operational changes during the COVID-19 pandemic did not negatively affect time to surgery (TtS) or outcomes for hip fracture (HFx) patients. The standard of care for hip fractures was maintained despite pandemic-related challenges.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Trauma Surgery
- Public Health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated significant hospital operational changes, including resource reallocation.
- These changes raised concerns about potential impacts on non-COVID-19 patient care, particularly for emergent conditions like hip fractures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of pandemic-related operational shifts on time to surgery (TtS) for hip fractures (HFx).
- To assess whether these changes influenced morbidity and mortality rates in HFx patients.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of 416 patients with OTA 31 fractures treated between January 2019 and November 2020.
- Comparison of TtS, readmission rates, reoperation rates, and 30-day and 90-day mortality between pre-pandemic and pandemic treatment groups.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed in median TtS between the pre-pandemic (263 patients) and pandemic (153 patients) groups.
- Readmission rates, reoperation rates, and 30-day and 90-day mortality rates showed no statistically significant changes during the pandemic period.
Conclusions:
- Pandemic-induced hospital operational changes did not adversely affect TtS or complication rates for hip fractures.
- Despite challenges, the standard of care for hip fractures was successfully maintained, demonstrating resilience in surgical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Purpose:
To investigate if changes to hospital operational models during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted overall time to surgery (TtS) as well as morbidity and mortality rates of hip fractures (HFx).
Methods:
416 patients treated for OTA 31 fractures at a single institution between January 2019 and November 2020 were reviewed. TtS as well as morbidity and mortality rates were obtained from pre-pandemic and pandemic groups.
Results:
263 patients were treated pre-pandemic and 153 were treated during the pandemic. There were no significant differences in median TtS, readmission rates (p = 0.134), reoperation rates (p = 0.052), 30-day (p = 0.095) and 90-day (p = 0.22) mortality rates.
Conclusion:
Reallocation of hospital resources in response to the COVID-19 pandemic did not negatively impact surgical timing or complications. TtS for HFx remains a challenge and often requires multidisciplinary care, which is complicated by a pandemic. However, this study demonstrates HFx standard of care can be maintained despite COVID-19 obstacles to treatment efficiency and efficacy.
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Assessment:
1. Clinical Evaluation:
History: