To investigate the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in the treatment of intertrochanteric femoral fracture with artificial femoral head replacement in elderly patients.

From Feburary 2016 to Feburary 2018, 52 patients who underwent the treatment of artificial femoral head replacement with intertrochanteric femoral fracture in elderly patients were randomly divided into two groups: ERAS group (experimental group, n=26, including 12 males and 14 female, with a median age of 79.7±3.1 years) and routine group (control group, n=26, including 13 males and 13 female, with a median age of 78.8±2.6 years). Follow-up assessment included postoperative hemoglobin at 24 hours after operation, blood transfusion ratio, postoperative length of stay (LOS), postoperative complications, VAS score and Harris score at 24 hours, 1 month, 3 months and 12 months after operation.

All the 52 patients were followed up for 12-24 months (18±3 months on average). Postoperative hemoglobin at 24 hours after operation in experimental group [(110.4±13.7) g/L] was significantly higher than that in control group [(100.1±9.0) g/L]. The postoperative LOS in the experimental group [(3.6±0.8) d] was significantly shorter than that in the control group [(4.6±0.8) d]. There were significant differences between the two groups (t=3.204, P=0.002, t=3.749, P=0.001). The blood transfusion ratio and the incidence of complications in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group. There were significant differences between the two groups. The VAS score and Harris score of the experimental group and the control group before and after 24 h, 1 month, 3 months, 12 months of repeated measurement design showed that there were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group. There was interaction between the two groups at different time points. Except for the first time point and the fifth time point, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant. There were statistically significant differences in the experimental group at each time point.

The application of ERAS in the treatment of intertrochanteric femoral fracture with artificial femoral head replacement in elderly patients can reduce blood loss and the incidence of complications, shorten hospital stay, cause less short-term pain after operation, achieve faster recovery. It is beneficial to the early recovery of hip joint function.