Authors' objectives: The objective of this rapid review is to identify the evidence around the optimal timing to surgery after a patient's presentation to a hospital with a hip fracture.

Authors' recommendations: This rapid review identified 6 systematic reviews, none of which directly compared outcomes for hip fracture patients receiving surgery within 24 hours versus 24 to 48 hours. However, findings were consistent among the reviews for the outcomes of interest: Shorter wait time for surgery is associated with decreased risk of mortality. No statistically or clinically meaningful differences were observed in hospital length of stay among patients who received surgery earlier versus delayed. Evidence available at this time does not give us the precision to determine if surgery performed within 24 hours results in significantly different outcomes than surgery between 24 and 48 hours. Given that the current median wait time for hip fracture surgery in Ontario is 26 hours and 78% of patients receive surgery within 48 hours of admission, (3) the evidence supports Ontario's current standard of care and the benchmark of surgery within 48 hours.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2013

URL for published report: http://www.hqontario.ca/Portals/0/Documents/eds/rapid-reviews/hip-fracture-surgery-optimal-timing-130419-en.pdf

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Canada

Organisation Name: Health Quality Ontario

Contact Address: Evidence Development and Standards, Health Quality Ontario, 130 Bloor Street West, 10th floor, Toronto, Ontario Canada M5S 1N5

Contact Name: EDSinfo@hqontario.ca

Contact Email: OH-HQO_hta-reg@ontariohealth.ca

Copyright: Health Quality Ontario