Postoperative haemoglobin estimation in elderly hip fractures

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to analyze the effect of postoperative hemoglobin check on the day of surgery and 1 day postoperatively in elderly hip fracture patients with an aim to determine an optimum timing of postoperative hemoglobin check. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 253 patients. Age, Charlson morbidity index, fracture type, time from admission to surgery, type of surgery, preoperative hemoglobin, postoperative hemoglobin, hemoglobin drop, day of postoperative hemoglobin measurement, blood transfusion, length of hospital stay, and 30‐day mortality were recorded. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty‐three patients (Group I) had postoperative hemoglobin check on the first postoperative day and 90 patients (Group II) on the day of surgery. Mean age in Group I was 82 years and 80 years in Group II. Mean Charlson morbidity index for Group I was 5.9 and Group II was 5.7. There was a significantly higher hemoglobin drop in Group I (P < 0.05) but no difference in blood transfusion requirement, length of stay, or 30‐day mortality in the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that postoperative hemoglobin measurement on the day of surgery is not a true reflection of hemoglobin drop and recommend estimation of hemoglobin on the first postoperative day.