Clinical and radiological outcome of posterior column acetabular fracture treated with open reduction and internal fixation using reconstruction plate

Abstract

Introduction: With increasing road traffic accidents, acetabular fractures are becoming more common. The present study was aimed to assess the functional and radiological outcomes of patients with posterior column acetabular fracture treated with open reduction internal fixation. Methodology: The present observational study was conducted in the Department of Orthopaedics, Post Graduate Institute of Swasthiyog Pratishthan, Miraj of patients with displaced fractures of the posterior column acetabulum. Clinical grading at one year post-operatively was based on Merle d’ Aubigne and Postel scoring which has been modified by Matta and radiological grading system was based on the anatomical displacement criteria.Results: During the study period we included a total of 32 patients. Mean age of these patients was 42.6 years, and males comprised 66% of the patients. Clinical outcome as assessed by Merle d' Aubigné and Postel method revealed that 63% achieved excellent outcome, 28% had good outcome, 6% had fair and one patient had a poor outcome. Radiological evaluation at the end of one year post-operatively revealed excellent outcome in 59%, good in 28%, fair in 9% and poor outcome in 3%. Immediately post-operatively one patient developed superficial wound infection, and during the follow-up period, one patient developed paraesthesia along the lateral aspect of the thigh because of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve injury, who then recovered completely within 6 months. Conclusions: Open reduction and internal fixation resulted in excellent and good clinical outcome in 91% of the patients and excellent and good radiological outcome in 87% of the patients.