• Yannik Kalbas, Yannik Stutz, Felix Karl-Ludwig Klingebiel, Sascha Halvachizadeh, Michel Paul Johan Teuben, John Ricklin, Ivan Sivriev, Jakob Hax, Carlos Ordonez Urgiles, Kai Oliver Jensen, Markus Florian Oertel, Hans-Christoph Pape, and Roman Pfeifer.
• Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland; Harald-Tscherne Laboratory for Orthopaedic and Trauma Research, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: yannik.kalbas@usz.ch.
• Injury. 2025 Jan 11: 112149112149.

IntroductionOptimizing treatment strategies in polytrauma patients is a key focus in trauma research and timing of major fracture care remains one of the most actively discussed topics. Besides physiologic factors, associated injuries, and injury patterns also require consideration. For instance, the exact impact and relevance of traumatic brain injury on the timing of fracture care have not yet been fully investigated.MethodsIn this retrospectively cohort study at a level one trauma center, patients requiring trauma team activations from 2015 to 2020 were screened. Patients with an injury severity score >16 and at least one body region requiring operative fixation were included. Patients who underwent their first definitive surgery <24 h were stratified as group SDS (Safe Definitive Surgery) and >24 h as group DFC (Delayed Fracture Care). Outcomes were early mortality (<72 h), SIRS and sepsis, timing to first definitive surgery and completed reconstruction, total number of surgeries, and factors influencing the surgical strategy (e.g., unstable physiology). Odds ratios for treatment strategies and influencing factors were calculated using the Fisher`s exact test with conditional maximum likelihood estimate.ResultsFrom a total of 901 patients screened, 239 were included in the analyzes (Group DFC: 151, Groups SDS: 88). Groups did not significantly differ regarding early mortality, SIRS and sepsis. Group SDS had a significantly lower mean number of operations (4.3 vs. 5.3; p = 0.037) and a significantly shorter mean time until completion of reconstructive operations (10 days vs. 15 days; p = 0.013). Unstable physiology and intracranial trauma sequelae with the necessity for neurosurgical interventions (NSI) were identified as most significant factors for delaying definitive fracture care (OR: 2.85; 95 % CIs: 1.56 to 5.33 and OR: 5.59; 95 % CIs: 1.63 to 29.85), while the presence of intracranial bleeding (IB) without NSI did not have a significant influence (OR: 1.21; 95 % CIs: 0.63 to 2.34).ConclusionThe necessity of NSI and unstable physiology are highly relevant factors for delaying definitive fracture care in polytrauma patients, while the presence of IB without NSI had less impact. In this cohort, early definitive fracture care in physiologically stable patients without NSI, was not associated with increased patient morbidity.Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

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