Incidence of heterotopic ossification in acetabular fractures operated through a Kocher–Langenbeck approach

Abstract

from April 2003 to April 2007. Then we ascertained in-hospital mortality rates at 30 days and at one year following admission to hospital using Hospital Episode Statistics (HES). Unplanned hospital readmission rates for all causes (including episodes of thromboembolism and bleeding)within 30 days (all years) and one year (2003–2005) were also established. A total of 150 hospitals were contacted and data gathered from 62 hospitals (response rate 41.3%). There were 255,841 patients with neck of femur fractures during this five year period who were assessed for morbidity andmortality correlating it to the thromboprophylaxis policy. There was no significant difference in hospital readmission within 30 days or diagnosis of thromboembolism or haemorrhage among hospitals of different thromboprophylaxis policies. The hospitals using LMWH in half the dose recommended by the BritishNational Formulary had significantly reducedmortality in-hospital (odds ratio (OR) 0.79, 95% CI 0.69–0.90, P=0.0006), at 30 days (OR 0.8 (0.70–0.92), P=0.001) and at one year (OR 0.89 (0.80–1.00), P=0.050) compared with no policy. Our data suggest that the thromboprophylaxis regimen for patients with fracture neck of femur should be half dose LMWH for the duration of the hospital stay.