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Delayed proximal humeral fracture surgery negatively impacts inpatient outcomes
Increased inpatient morbidity, longer postoperative length of stay and nonroutine discharge are more likely among patients who had delayed surgery for proximal humeral fracture, according to study results.
Researchers identified more than 70,000 patients with an operatively treated proximal humeral fracture in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample between 2008 and 2011. Eighty-seven percent of patients underwent surgery within 2 days of admission and 13% underwent surgery 3 days or more after admission. The researchers performed multivariable logistic regression analyses to evaluate the effect of surgical delay on inpatient outcomes and identify risk factors associated with late surgery.
Although surgery 3 days or more after admission for fracture of the proximal humerus had no influence on in-hospital death, study results showed this factor was independently associated with inpatient adverse events, prolonged postoperative stay and increased nonroutine discharge. Additional risk factors for surgery 3 days or more after admission included advanced age, male sex, Elixhauser comorbidity score, polytrauma, Hispanic or black race, no insurance coverage, low household income and weekend admission, according to the researchers.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.