PREOPERATIVE TRACTION FOR HIP FRACTURE - A RANDOMIZED COMPARISON BETWEEN SKIN AND SKELETAL TRACTION IN 78 PATIENTS

153 consecutive patients with displaced cervical and trochanteric hip fractures were considered for inclusion in this study. 75 were exclude d because of senile confusion and the remaining 78 were randomized to skeletal or skin traction preoperatively. The effect on pain alleviati on was evaluated with a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and by the number of doses of analgesics administered. The processing time through the e mergency department, radiographic department and to the ward, as well as time to operation, was registered. No significant difference in the VAS pain evaluation was found. There was a small significant increase in consumption of analgesics of no clinical importance in patients wi th skin traction, and no effect of traction type on the processing tim e or time to operation. Fracture type did not affect the outcome. Sinc e half of the patients found the application of skeletal traction pain ful, compared to one fifth with skin traction, skeletal traction shoul d not be routinely used to alleviate pain preoperatively in these pati ents.