Application of Unilateral Epidural Anesthesia in Older Patients With Hip Fracture

Because of population ageing, fragility fractures have become a huge burden on healthcare systems and wider society. Fractures result in a sharp drop in both short-term and long-term quality of life, they have a strong influence on activities of daily living and mobility, and they are associated with a significant increase in 1-year mortality (18%-36%). Surgery can benefit elderly patients with hip fractures to an extent, but it entails inevitable risks, particularly with respect to general anesthesia. In recent years unilateral spinal anesthesia has attracted attention due to the advantages of hemodynamic stability, reduced anesthetic dosage, and sufficient sensory block.

On the basis of a previous study, in the current study anesthetics were directly implanted into the unilateral epidural space in elderly patients with hip fractures prior to the completion of surgery. Data from 106 patients with old hip fractures who had undergone surgical treatment incorporating unilateral epidural anesthesia (UEA) or combined lumbar and epidural anesthesia were retrospectively analyzed in an attempt to provide a feasible solution for this kind of patients' anesthesia.