The Effect of Pre-Operative Medical Co-Morbidities on Rehabilitation Outcomes Following Surgery for Hip Fracture Management in Geriatric Populations

INTRODUCTION: As a result of increasing longevity, we are seeing more elderly patients with complex medical co-morbidities who sustain hip fractures requiring surgical management. The aim of this study is to understand and analyze the effect of preoperative medical comorbidities and associated low physiological reserve status on functional rehabilitation outcomes following surgical management of hip fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study conducted a retrospective analysis of 73 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria .We utilized the de Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI) scores pre surgery and at the time of discharge from hospital following a period of rehabilitation as a measure of their pre and post-surgery functional status. The Physiological and Operative Score (POSSUM) was used as our tool to objectively quantify medical co-morbidities including but not limited to cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions. RESULTS: The median age of our study population was 83 years of which 55(75%) were female. Time to surgery was a median of 21.0 hours, IQR (15.0-29.0), with a median physiological score of 21.0, IQR (19.0-26.0), the median pre surgery DEMMI was 85.0, IQR (55.5- 100.0) and the median DEMMI at discharge was 33.0, IQR (30.0-41.0).There is a moderate correlation between DEMMI pre and DEMMI at 3 months, 0.38 that is statistically significant, p = 0.001. DISCUSSION: The effect of medical co- morbidities which causes the patient to have a poor physiological reserve even when coupled with the effect of the operative stress have no significant negative impact on the 90-day functional outcome of these patients. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the presence of medical comorbidities in patients who require surgical management of hip fractures would not adversely affect their rehabilitation outcomes. The preinjury functional status of a patient is a significant factor in predicting functional rehabilitation outcomes.