Caracterización del retraso quirúrgico en pacientes con fracturas de cadera

OBJECTIVE: To determine the characteristics of surgical delay in patients with hip fracture admitted to the adult traumatology service of the Hospital de Chiquimula between January 2020 and December 2024. METHOD: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted through the review of 57 medical records of patients diagnosed with hip fracture and indicated for surgical management. Data were extracted using a standardizer data collection instrument. RESULTS: A surgical delay greater than 48 hours was observed in 82% of patients. The main causes of delay were social factors (72%), followed by medical (56%) and administrative factors (30%). The most frequent comorbidities were arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Anemia, urinary tract infection, and pneumonia were the most common preoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Surgical delay in hip fracture patients was frequent and mainly associated with social and medical factors. Identifying these characteristics highlights critical areas in hospital care processes that could be improved to reduce surgical waiting times and improve clinical outcomes.