Treatment of Pipkin Ⅳ femoral head fracture by internal fixation via the Ganz approach / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate the Ganz approach in the internal fixation of Pipkin Ⅳ femoral head fracture.Methods:The data of 7 patients with Pipkin Ⅳ femoral head fracture were retrospectively analyzed who had been admitted to Department of Orthopaedics, Xijing Hospital from March 2013 to April 2019. They were 5 males and 2 females, aged from 23 to 66 years (average, 40.5 years). The time from injury to operation ranged from 5 to 13 days (average, 7.3 days). In all the 7 patients, the Ganz approach was adopted in the internal fixation with double-head compression screws for femoral head fracture and in the internal fixation with screws plus a reconstruction plate for acetabular fracture. Their operation time, intraoperative bleeding, fracture reduction, hip functional recovery and complications were recorded. The hip function was assessed by Harris hip score.Results:Their operation time ranged from 155 to 235 min (mean, 197.9 min) and their intraoperative bleeding from 450 to 765 mL (mean, 590.0 mL). This cohort was followed up for 12 to 86 months (mean, 34.4 months). According to the Letournel recommended criteria for reduction quality of acetabular fractures, anatomical reduction was achieved in 6 cases and satisfactory reduction in one; according to the Thompson-Epstein clinical and imaging evaluation, the reduction of femoral head fracture was excellent in 6 cases and good in one. Their Harris hip scores at the last follow-up ranged from 92 to 97 (mean, 93.0). Traumatic arthritis developed in one case which was still under observation and muscular vein thrombosis developed in the affected limb in 2 cases but was organized after standard treatment.Conclusion:In the treatment of Pipkin Ⅳ femoral head fracture, the Ganz approach can lead to good reduction quality and fine functional recovery of the hip.