Regional versus general anesthesia for femur and hip fracture surgery: A meta-analysis of postoperative outcomes and complications.

Study Summary

15 studies including 6829 patients undergoing surgery for femur or hip fractures were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis comparing regional anesthesia (RA) with general anesthesia (GA). Pooled outcomes included 30-day and 1-year mortality, postoperative delirium, intraoperative hypotension, severe pain within 24 hours, acute kidney injury, and length of hospital stay. RA significantly reduced intraoperative hypotension, while GA was associated with less severe early postoperative pain. No significant differences were found for mortality, postoperative delirium, acute kidney injury, or length of stay. Overall, neither technique demonstrated broad superiority, supporting individualized anesthesia selection based on patient characteristics and procedural requirements.