The Association between Acetabulum Fractures and Subsequent Coxarthrosis in a Cohort of 77 Patients-A Retrospective Analysis of Predictors for Secondary Hip Osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE

the aim of this study was to document the occurrence of THA after acetabulum surgery and examine the factors that predict its occurrence.

METHODS

This study included 77 consecutive patients who were admitted for acetabulum fracture surgery between 2012 and 2019. The inclusion criteria were acetabular fractures and indications for operative management. The exclusion criteria were acetabular fractures treated non-operatively, fractures requiring primary THA, and periprosthetic acetabular fractures. Data concerning demographics, date of injury, date of surgery, surgical approach, stabilization, and further reconstructive surgery were collected retrospectively. The number of patients who underwent THA and their risk factors were recorded. The minimum follow-up for each patient was 2 years of observation. A total of 77 patients with a mean age of 53 years were included.

RESULTS

At a mean follow-up of 2 years, THA was performed in 16 (20.8%) patients due to post-traumatic arthritis. An analysis of the surgical approaches showed that the Kocher-Langenbeck approach increased the risk of THA nearly 12 times compared with the ilioinguinal approach (p = 0.016). Furthermore, the duration of the waiting period for surgery significantly impacted the occurrence of THA, with each additional day leading to an 89% increase in the risk of prosthesis usage (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that acetabular fractures may lead to post-traumatic hip osteoarthritis. The surgical approach and the waiting time for surgery are potential factors that may predict secondary hip osteoarthritis and the need for subsequent THA. However, further investigations should be performed to establish predictors for secondary hip osteoarthritis, and especially to determine the impact of the surgical approach.

Ligamentum teres reconstruction with labrum and capsule repair after posterior acetabular wall fracture: a case report

The aim of this case study is to present arthroscopic treatment of recurrent hip instability after acute post-traumatic posterior hip dislocation with a fracture of the posterior acetabular wall. A male patient aged 35 suffered a dislocation of the right hip joint with a fracture of the posterior acetabular wall due to an accident. The fracture was stabilized during emergency surgery with a locking compression plate, and the patient was released home in a hip brace. Multiple dislocations of the hip joint followed with the implant being confirmed as stable. Decision was made to qualify the patient for a right hip arthroscopy. During the surgery, ligamentum teres was reconstructed using gracilis and semitendinous muscle grafts, followed by the labrum and joint capsule repair, where the surgery that stabilized the acetabular wall fracture had damaged them. There were no complications following the procedure. Short-term follow-up of 3 months demonstrates the patient has a stable hip, reduced pain and has returned to pre-injury activities.