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Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research
Published in: Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

Complications are reduced with a protocol to standardize timing of fixation based on response to resuscitation

Authors: Heather A. Vallier, Timothy A. Moore, John J. Como, Patricia A. Wilczewski, Michael P. Steinmetz, Karl G. Wagner, Charles E. Smith, Xiao-Feng Wang, Andrea J. Dolenc

Published in: Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

Our group developed a protocol, entitled Early Appropriate Care (EAC), to determine timing of definitive fracture fixation based on presence and severity of metabolic acidosis. We hypothesized that utilization of EAC would result in fewer complications than a historical cohort and that EAC patients with definitive fixation within 36 h would have fewer complications than those treated at a later time.

Methods

Three hundred thirty-five patients with mean age 39.2 years and mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) 26.9 and 380 fractures of the femur (n = 173), pelvic ring (n = 71), acetabulum (n = 57), and/or spine (n = 79) were prospectively evaluated. The EAC protocol recommended definitive fixation within 36 h if lactate <4.0 mmol/L, pH ≥7.25, or base excess (BE) ≥−5.5 mmol/L. Complications including infections, sepsis, DVT, organ failure, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and pulmonary embolism (PE) were identified and compared for early and delayed patients and with a historical cohort.

Results

All 335 patients achieved the desired level of resuscitation within 36 h of injury. Two hundred sixty-nine (80 %) were treated within 36 h, and 66 had protocol violations, treated on a delayed basis, due to surgeon choice in 71 %. Complications occurred in 16.3 % of patients fixed within 36 h and in 33.3 % of delayed patients (p = 0.0009). Hospital and ICU stays were shorter in the early group: 9.5 versus 17.3 days and 4.4 versus 11.6 days, respectively, both p < 0.0001. This group of patients when compared with a historical cohort of 1443 similar patients with 1745 fractures had fewer complications (16.3 versus 22.1 %, p = 0.017) and shorter length of stay (LOS) (p = 0.018).

Conclusions

Our EAC protocol recommends definitive fixation within 36 h in resuscitated patients. Early fixation was associated with fewer complications and shorter LOS. The EAC recommendations are safe and effective for the majority of severely injured patients with mechanically unstable femur, pelvis, acetabular, or spine fractures requiring fixation.
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Metadata
Title
Complications are reduced with a protocol to standardize timing of fixation based on response to resuscitation
Authors
Heather A. Vallier
Timothy A. Moore
John J. Como
Patricia A. Wilczewski
Michael P. Steinmetz
Karl G. Wagner
Charles E. Smith
Xiao-Feng Wang
Andrea J. Dolenc
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1749-799X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-015-0298-1

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