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Delayed hip fracture surgery

Delayed hip fracture surgery has been studied in 4 papers since 2021: 4 observational studies in people. The newest paper, Aug 16, 2025: “Beyond the guidelines: outcomes of extremely delayed hip fracture surgery in elderly”.

Exposure

4 papers study it5 findingsUpdated

See all 4

“Patients not receiving expedited surgery had higher 30-day and one-year mortality rates (OR 1.19; p < 0.001)”
Waiting time for hip fracture surgery: hospital variation, causes, and effects on postoperative mortality : data on 37,708 operations reported to the Norwegian Hip fracture Register from 2014 to 2018Bone & joint open2021doi:10.1302/2633-1462.29.bjo-2021-0079.r1

1 of its findings points the other way.

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

  • 4 independent labs in 4 countries
  • 1 finding against
  • Humans4

What did studies of Delayed hip fracture surgery find?

2

Studies of Delayed hip fracture surgery measured 2 outcomes; the most studied are mortality (1 study) and ambulatory function (1).

Mortality

upin humans1no changein humans1

1 study

  1. Delayed hip fracture surgery is linked with higher mortality in unfit patients with delay exceeding six days (P=0.035).

    “higher mortality was observed when the delay exceeded six days (fit: P=0.117; unfit: P=0.035).”

    Humansin unfit patients with delay exceeding six days

    The Impact of Surgical Timing of Hip Fracture on Mortality: Do the Cause and Duration of Delay Matter?

    Hip & pelvis

  2. Delayed hip fracture surgery was not clearly linked with mortality in humans (>48 hours vs <=48 hours) (P=0.854).

    “No difference in one-year mortality was observed between patients with early surgery and those with delayed surgery (P=0.854).”

    Humans>48 hours vs <=48 hoursn = 269

    The Impact of Surgical Timing of Hip Fracture on Mortality: Do the Cause and Duration of Delay Matter?

    Hip & pelvis

Ambulatory function

downin humans1

1 study

  1. Delayed hip fracture surgery is linked with worse ambulatory function in humans (β = -0.28, p = 0.03).

    “regression coefficient for the FIM (locomotion) score on the "time from injury to surgery" was -0.28 (p = 0.03)”

    Humans

    Timely Surgical Intervention for Hip Fractures is Essential to Reinstate Ambulatory Function on Discharge: Propensity Score Matching

    JB & JS open access

What is Delayed hip fracture surgery linked with?

1

Studies link Delayed hip fracture surgery with 1 measure, most often mortality (2 studies).

Mortality

upin humans2OR 1.19

2 studies

  1. Delayed hip fracture surgery is linked with a higher risk of mortality in humans (hip fracture) (1-month: 11% vs 6%; 1-year: 39% vs 21%).

    “This study confirms the relationship between surgical delay and increased mortality rates in hip fracture patients, with a 12-day threshold for high mortality risk exceeding typical reports.”

    Humanship fractureaverage 5.1 yearsn = 289

    Beyond the guidelines: outcomes of extremely delayed hip fracture surgery in elderly

    BMC musculoskeletal disorders

  2. Delayed hip fracture surgery is linked with a higher risk of mortality in humans (postoperative) (OR 1.19, p < 0.001).

    “Patients not receiving expedited surgery had higher 30-day and one-year mortality rates (OR 1.19; p < 0.001)”

    Humanspostoperative

    Waiting time for hip fracture surgery: hospital variation, causes, and effects on postoperative mortality : data on 37,708 operations reported to the Norwegian Hip fracture Register from 2014 to 2018

    Bone & joint open

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