Is Taking an Antiplatelet Agent a Contraindication for Early Surgery in Displaced Femur Neck Fracture?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether we have to stop the antiplatelet agents prior to hemiarthroplasty surgery in patients with displaced femur neck fractures to reduce postoperative complications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled forty-three patients with displaced femur neck fractures who were treated by bipolar hemiarthroplasty and were taking antiplatelet agents. Group I included 21 patients who discontinued antiplatelet agents and had delayed operations at an average 5.7 days and group II included 22 patients who had had early operations within 24 hours without stopping the antiplatelet agents. We compared the pre- and postoperative levels of hemoglobin, the volume of postoperative transfusion requirement and complications. Student's t-test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: The average differences between preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin was 1.4±0.4 g/dL decrease in group I and 2.1±0.5 g/dL decrease in group II (P<0.001). Patients who received a blood transfusion were 11 in group I and 13 in group II (P=0.66). Total number of blood transfusion was 13 pints in group I and 18 pints in group II (P=0.23). Pneumonia occurred in one patient in each group. Four pressure sores and three diaper rashes were developed in group I. But there were no patients requiring massive transfusion, reoperation due to hematoma and infection in each group.

CONCLUSION: Although continuous taking of antiplatelet agents in displaced femur neck fracture is associated with an increased risk of postoperative bleeding, taking an antiplatelet agent itself is not a contraindication of early surgery.