Reconstruction of delayed acetabular fractures / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss the surgical technique of delayed acetabular fractures and its possible prognosis factors.Methods From April 2001 to November 2008,61 patients with delayed acetabular fractures were surgically treated.There were 47 males and 14 males,with an average age of 38 years.According to Letourael classification,16 simple fractures included 7 cases of posterior wall fractures,2 of posterior column fractures,1 of anterior column fractures and 6 of transverse fractures.Forty-five patients with mixed fractures included 3 cases with both fractures posterior column and wall,7 of transverse and posterior wall fractures,4 of T-shape fractures,6 of posteriorly semi-transverse fractures and 25 of both-columns fractures.Fifty-two patients suffered from traffic accident;6 patients were caused by falling from height and 3 suffered from crush injuries.Brain injuries occurred in 11 cases,thorax-abdominal injuries in 15,urinary tract injuries in 7,multiple fractures in 25.The injury of sciatic nerve was found in 3 patients preoperatively.The average interval form injury to surgery was 39 days.A single approach was employed in 13 cases,and combined antero-posterior approaches were employed in 48.The operation time was (248±45) min with a blood loss of (2160±100) ml averagely.Results The average follow-up was (61±8) months.The clinical result was evaluated by Matta reduction criteria,modified Merle d'Aubingne and Postel scoring system.Anatomical reduction was achieved in 45 cases;however,13 were unsatisfactory and 3 were poor.For clinical results,38 were graded as excellent,13 as good,6 as fair and 4 as poor.Osteonecrosis of the femoral head occurred in 3 cases (4.9%),and heterotopic ossification developed in 28 cases (45.9%).Additionally,4patients (6.6%) had a transient sciatic nerve paralysis.Conclusion Open reduction and internal fixation is a liable method for delayed acetabular fractures.Single approach is suitable for simple fractures;in principle and combined approaches are for compound delayed acetabular fractures.The reduction quality is closely related to surgeon's experience.