@article{c79f2dcf0ed147a08e2bd88f77397d10,
title = "Impact of surgical complications on length of stay after hip fracture surgery",
abstract = "BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation after hip fracture may be lengthy, with bed-day consumption accounting for up to 85% of the total cost of admission to hospital. Data suggest that surgical complications requiring reoperation may lead to an excessively long in-patient stays. However, the overall impact of surgical complications has not been examined in detail. METHODS: All 600 consecutive patients included were admitted with primary hip fracture and received primary surgical intervention with multimodal rehabilitation. Surgical complications were audited and classified as being due to a patient fall, infection or suboptimal surgery, stratified into either requiring reoperation or not allowing mobilisation because of instability. RESULTS: Of the 600, 116 (19.3, 95% CI 16-22%) patients underwent reoperation or immobilisation; 27.1% of bed-day consumption resulted from surgical complications. The audit showed that 64 complications (55%) were due to suboptimal surgery, 18 (16%) to infection, 6 (5%) to falls and 28 (24%) to no obvious cause. CONCLUSION: Surgical complications secondary to primary hip fracture surgery account for 27.1% of total hospital bed consumption within 6 months. Approximately, 50% of these hospital days might be spared by optimal surgery.",
keywords = "Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Hip Fractures, Humans, Length of Stay, Male, Postoperative Complications, Retrospective Studies",
author = "Foss, {Nicolai Bang} and Henrik Palm and Michael Krasheninnikoff and Henrik Kehlet and Gebuhr, {Peter Henrik}",
year = "2006",
doi = "10.1016/j.injury.2006.08.028",
language = "English",
volume = "38",
pages = "780--4",
journal = "Injury",
issn = "0020-1383",
publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",
number = "7",
}