The Role of Preoperative Skin Traction in Reducing Pain in Patient with Hip Fracture

Abstract

Background: Hip Fracture including neck of femur and trochanteric fractures are very common in young and old age. These types of injuries in young age are mainly due to malnutrition, tumor, physical inactivity and athletic participation causing high energy trauma.  In old age it is mainly due to osteoporotic bones especially in females. Objective: To compare mean pain score in patients with hip fractures treated with and without skin traction prior to surgical intervention. Study Design: Randomized control trial. Settings: Orthopedics department, Chaudhry Muhammad Akram Teaching & Research Hospital, affiliated with Azra Naheed Medical College Lahore-Pakistan. Duration: 2 Years from 01-01-2017 to 31-12-2019. Methodology: Data of all the hip fractures presenting in Orthopedic emergency was collected. This includes fracture neck of femur and trochanteric fractures. Results: Application of skin traction did not result in improvement of pain score significantly. 15.0% of respondents were in the age groups of 25-40 years, 38.0% patients were between 41-60 years of age and 47% patients more than 61 years of age. 69.0% were female patients and 32.0% were male patients. Mean preoperative visual analogue score (VAS) score of all patients 2.3900 (out of 10 score). Mean Preoperative visual VAS score of patients (with skin traction) 2.5400. In other group (without skin traction), mean preoperative VAS score 2.2400. Conclusion: Preoperative skin traction in hip fractures of adult patient should not be considered mandatory in reducing pain and hence it is not useful.