Aspirin therapy and bleeding during proximal femoral fracture surgery.

To assess the effect of daily low-dose aspirin therapy on perioperative bleeding of patients operated on for proximal femoral fracture, we did a prospective case-control study. During 14 months, we followed up 104 patients, 39 of whom were taking aspirin before the injury. The bleeding was estimated by the number of blood units needed perioperatively, the change in hemoglobin values, and followup on complications and drain volume. The aspirin-treated group received an average of 0.5 units of blood more than the control group, postoperatively. This finding was statistically significant. The groups did not differ significantly in any other bleeding parameter. No major bleeding occurred in the patients. It is safe to do surgery for a proximal femoral fracture in patients who are taking aspirin.