Surgery for hip fracture performed within 24 to 48 hours was associated with improved survival and recovery outcomes in older adults, according to a systematic review. Across 139 studies including more than 4.3 million patients, earlier surgery was linked to lower mortality, fewer complications, shorter hospital stays, reduced readmissions, and lower health care costs, with patient-reported outcomes also generally favoring earlier intervention. Although heterogeneity and the predominance of observational data limited causal inference, the findings support timely surgery as an important quality indicator in hip fracture care.

Source: The Bone & Joint Journal