Comparison of Daytime and After-Hours Surgical Treatment of Femoral Neck Fractures

Abstract

Background: The timing of surgery for femoral neck fractures in young adults remains controversial. Nonetheless, the debate continues about whether  orthopedic trauma cases should be operated daytime or after hours.

Aim: This study compared the clinical and radiological outcomes of surgery on  femoral neck fractures during daytime versus after-hours.

Patients and Methods: A total of 124 patients aged 18–60 years who were operated for  femoral neck fractures between 2015 and 2020 were included in the study. The patients were separated into two groups. Seventy‑two patients operated  between 08:00 and 17:00 hours were defined as the daytime group and 52 patients operated between 17:01 and 07:59 hours were defined as the  after‑hours group. Demographic data, reduction quality, duration of operation, intraoperative estimated blood loss (EBL), postoperative complications, revision rates, and postoperative Harris hip score results of the two groups were recorded for analysis.

Results: There was no significant difference  between the groups in terms of age, gender, body mass index, smoking, fracture type and follow-up time, reduction quality, postoperative complication  rates, revision rates, and Harris hip score results. Waiting times until surgery, operation duration, and intraoperative EBL amounts were, in the daytime  group, significantly higher than in the after-hours group.

Conclusion: In this study comparing femoral neck fractures operated on daytime and after- hours in adults, the waiting time until surgery was found to be higher in the daytime group. Operation duration and EBL were higher in the after-hours  group.