Morbidity and in-hospital mortality after hip fracture surgery on weekends versus weekdays

Purpose. To compare morbidity and in-hospital mortality in patients who underwent surgery for femoral neck fracture on weekends versus on weekdays. Methods. Records of 90 men and 225 women (mean age, 80.5 years) who underwent surgery for femoral neck fractures on weekends or public holidays (n=110) or on weekdays (n=205) were retrospectively reviewed. The morbidity and in-hospital mortality of the 2 groups were compared. Results. The 2 groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, and time to surgery, but more hemiarthroplasties were performed on weekdays (35.0% vs. 25.0%, p=0.036). Compared with surgery on weekdays, surgery on weekends was associated with increased in-hospital mortality (3.4% vs. 9.1%, p=0.04). None of the potential confounders (age, type of surgery, presenting hospital, and time to surgery) had a significant effect on in-hospital mortality. Conclusion. In patients with femoral neck fractures, surgery on weekends was associated with increased in-hospital mortality but not with increased morbidity after adjusting for confounders, compared with surgery on weekdays.