The factors that affect blood loss in intertrochanteric fractures treated with proximal femoral nail in the elderly

The incidence and risk factors of perioperative recurrent stroke in elderly patients with previous ischemic stroke receiving hip fracture surgery

BACKGROUND

Data are currently lacking regarding perioperative stroke recurrence in hip fracture patients with previous stroke. We aimed to analyze the incidence and risk factors of perioperative stroke recurrence in elderly patients with previous stroke who underwent hip fracture surgery.

METHODS

We used 2019 and 2020 data from the United States National Inpatient Sample database. We identified elderly patients with previous ischemic stroke who had undergone hip fracture surgery to analyze the incidence of stroke recurrence. A 1:4 propensity score matching was used to balance confounding factors related to demographic data and matched the control group with the stroke recurrence group. Risk factors for stroke recurrence were determined using univariate and multivariate logistic analysis.

RESULTS

The incidence of perioperative stroke recurrence in elderly patients with previous stroke who underwent hip fracture surgery was 5.7% (51/882). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that intertrochanteric fracture (odds ratio 2.24, 95% confidence interval 1.14-4.57; p = 0.021), hypertension (odds ratio 2.49, 95% confidence interval 1.26-5.02; p = 0.009), and postoperative pneumonia (odds ratio 4.35, 95% confidence interval 1.59-11.82; p = 0.004) were independently associated with stroke recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

The perioperative stroke recurrence rate in elderly hip fracture patients with previous stroke was 5.7%. Intertrochanteric fracture, hypertension, and postoperative pneumonia were identified as factors significantly associated with stroke recurrence in this study. Adequate systemic support post-fracture, effective blood pressure management, and proactive infection prevention may help reduce stroke recurrence, especially in patients with intertrochanteric fractures.

Anticoagulation management in elderly patients with proximal femur fractures - overview of current concepts

Objectives

Proximal femur fractures (PFF) are common injuries in elderly patients and can have considerable effects on their quality of life, morbidity, and mortality. Due to pre-existing comorbidities, the prevalence of anticoagulated patients is increasing. The right timing for surgery and perioperative anticoagulation treatment remains controversial.

Content

This overview aims to summarize current practices in the pre- and postoperative anticoagulation management and the recommended time to surgery in elderly patients with PFF.

Summary and Outlook

Time to surgery for anticoagulated patients is often prolonged due to worries about serious perioperative bleeding and higher transfusion demands. But the delay of surgical PFF treatment increases the risk for perioperative complications like pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis and urinary tract infections. Early surgery can be achieved with a consistent and interdisciplinary perioperative anticoagulation management. Antiplatelets do not have to be discontinued and surgery should be performed early without delay. For patients taking vitamin K antagonists (VKA) an INR less than 1.5 is recommended prior to surgery, which can be achieved by pausing VKA intake or by administering vitamin K, prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) or fresh frozen plasma (FFP). For the treatment with direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) a plasma drug level of under 50 pg/mL is considered safe for surgery. If the plasma level can not be determined, a gap of 24 h between the last DOAC dose and surgery is recommended. The systemic administration of tranexamic acid can reduce overall blood loss and transfusion rates in anticoagulated patients with PFF. Surgical treatment of PFF should be performed within 24 h, as delayed surgery increases the risk for perioperative complications. This also applies to anticoagulated patients, when clinically appropriate. International and interdisciplinary guidelines are necessary to ensure early and appropriate treatment of anticoagulated elderly patients with PFF.

Blood-Transfusion Risk Factors after Intramedullary Nailing for Extracapsular Femoral Neck Fracture in Elderly Patients

BACKGROUND

Extracapsular femoral neck fractures (eFNF) are the third most common type of fracture in traumatology. Intramedullary nailing (IMN) is one of the most frequently used ortho-pedic treatments for eFNF. Blood loss is one of the main complications of this treatment. This study aimed to identify and evaluate the perioperative risk factors that lead to blood transfusion in frail patients with eFNF who undergo IMN.

METHODS

From July 2020 to December 2020, 170 eFNF-affected patients who were treated with IMN were enrolled and divided into two groups according to blood transfusion: NBT (71 patients who did not need a blood transfusion), and BT (72 patients who needed blood transfusion). Gender, age, BMI, pre-operative hemoglobin levels, in-ternational normalized ratio (INR) level, number of blood units transfused, length of hospital stay, surgery duration, type of anesthesia, pre-operative ASA score, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and mortality rate were assessed.

RESULTS

Cohorts differed only for pre-operatively Hb and surgery time (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Patients who have a lower preoperative Hb level and longer surgery time have a high blood-transfusion risk and should be closely followed peri-operatively.

Association between fracture type and the risk of bleeding in intertrochanteric femur fractures

Introduction

The current study aimed to determine the association between fracture type and pre-operative hemoglobin level decrease in intertrochanteric fractures. Further, the erythrocyte unit required in replacement therapy until discharge according to fracture type was evaluated.

Patients and methods

We retrospectively analyzed 194 patients diagnosed with intertrochanteric femur fracture who received proximal femoral nail implantation. Among them, 122 met the inclusion criteria, and they were divided into group 1 (stable fracture) and group 2 (unstable fracture) according to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen classification. Data on age, sex, fracture side, surgical waiting time, pre- and post-operative hemoglobin levels, and total erythrocyte units required were assessed. Then, statistical analysis was performed.

Results

The stable and unstable groups were similar in terms of age, sex, fracture side, and surgical waiting time (p > 0.05). The average erythrocyte units required in replacement therapy were 1.62 (total: 96) in group 2 and 0.91 (total: 57) in group 1. Moreover, group 2 was more likely to require eythrocyte replacement than group 1 (p = 0.001). The average hemoglobin level decreases were 1.70 g/dL in group 1 and 1.95 g/dL in group 2. The pre-operative hemoglobin level decrease had a similar distribution in both groups (p = 0.239).

Conclusions

The pre-operative blood loss volume was similar between unstable and stable intertrochanteric fractures. Moreover, at unstable group, the need for erythrocyte replacement therapy was high in the whole period until discharge.

Low serum calcium is associated with perioperative blood loss and transfusion rate in elderly patients with hip fracture: a retrospective study

Background

To investigate whether hypocalcemia influenced total blood loss and transfusion rate in elderly patients with hip fracture.

Methods

From our hip fracture database, patients were consecutively included between January 2014 and December 2020. Serum calcium level was corrected for albumin concentration, and hypocalcaemia was defined as corrected calcium < 2.11 mmol/L. Hemoglobin and hematocrit were obtained on admission day and postoperative day, and blood transfusions were collected. According to the combination formulas of Nadler and Gross, the total blood loss of each patient was calculated. Risk factors were further analyzed by multivariate linear regression.

Results

A total of 583 consecutive elderly hip fracture patients were finally included (mean age 79.32 ± 8.18 years, 68.61% female). On admission, the mean serum corrected calcium level was 2.17 ± 0.14 mmol/L, and the prevalence of hypocalcemia was 33.11% (95% CI: 29.42–37.02). When comparing patients with normal calcium, hypocalcemia patients exhibited a higher blood transfusion rate (7.69% vs 16.06%, P < 0.05), and significantly larger total blood loss (607.86 ± 497.07 ml vs 719.18 ± 569.98 ml, P < 0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that male, anemia on admission, time from injury to hospital, intertrochanteric fracture, blood transfusion and hypocalcemia were independently associated with increased total blood loss (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Hypocalcemia is common in elderly patients with hip fracture, and significantly associated with more total blood loss and blood transfusion. The other risk factors for increased total blood loss are male, anemia on admission, time from injury to hospital, intertrochanteric fracture, and blood transfusion.

Level of evidence

Level III, retrospective study.