Original Research

Preoperative Cardiac Evaluation of Patients With Acute Hip Fracture

Author and Disclosure Information

The goals of the present study were to assess if there is an association between preoperative cardiac evaluation and surgery timing in patients with a hip fracture, to evaluate the relationship between surgery timing and postoperative morbidity and mortality, and to determine if the proper patients are being selected for noninvasive cardiac testing based on the practice guidelines published by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force. Surgery delay secondary to cardiac clearance may be a risk factor for increased postoperative complications that is independent of a patient’s general medical condition. Surgical treatment of acute hip fractures may be delayed by many factors besides preoperative cardiac clearance, but it is the job of the orthopedic surgeon, who best understands the importance of timely surgery for a hip fracture, to minimize delays. Careful screening of patients who have sustained a hip fracture can improve overall outcomes by minimizing the number of patients whose surgical treatment is unnecessarily delayed for cardiac clearance.


 

Recommended Reading

Delayed Rupture of the Flexor Pollicis Longus Tendon After Routine Volar Placement of a T-Plate on the Distal Radius
MDedge Surgery
A Biomechanical Study of Simulated Femoral Neck Fracture Fixation by Cannulated Screws: Effects of Placement Angle and Number of Screws
MDedge Surgery
Management of Pelvic Fractures During Pregnancy
MDedge Surgery
Orthopedic Trauma in Pregnancy
MDedge Surgery
Traumatic Disruption of Pubis Symphysis With Accompanying Posterior Pelvic Injury After Natural Childbirth
MDedge Surgery
Bilateral Luxatio Erecta Humeri and Bilateral Knee Dislocations in the Same Patient
MDedge Surgery
Connecting Multiple Open Wounds to a Single Negative-Pressure Dressing
MDedge Surgery
Delayed Clinical Presentation of Hemorrhagic Pericardial Effusion in a Patient Receiving Warfarin Sodium
MDedge Surgery
Two-Screw Femoral Neck Fracture Fixation: A Biomechanical Analysis of 2 Different Configurations
MDedge Surgery
Concomitant, Distinct Fractures of the Capitellum and Trochlea Separating the Whole Articular Surface of the Distal Humerus in the Coronal Plane
MDedge Surgery