Acetabular fractures mechanism of injury initial stabilization and associated injuries in a Mexican level 2 hospital

Objectives: To determine the relationship between surgically treated acetabular fractures, their associated injuries, and the need for pelvic stabilization before definitive fixation.

Methods: Review of records of patients with acetabular fractures treated surgically at the Central Hospital of the Mexican Red Cross between August 2013-January 2016. Descriptive statistical analysis in frequencies and proportions, X2 to determine the dependence between qualitative variables with a p <0.05 denoting significance.

Results: 32 patients in the sample: 26 males, average age of 36.3 years. Mechanism of injury 75% due to accident related to a motor vehicle (P=0.0052). Damage control in orthopaedics was performed in 68.7% with a positive association between this and the surgical treatment of these injuries (P=0.0052). According to Letournel, anterior wall fractures occurred in 28.1%, followed by injuries to both columns and the anterior column and posterior wall in a tied 15.6%. All cases presented some non-orthopaedic injury associated mainly with contusion of the chest; abdomen and pelvis (40.6%) followed by head trauma (21.8%), kidney and sciatic nerve injuries (6.25% both). The most frequent orthopaedic injury was sacroiliac dislocation in 40.6%, statistically significant (P=0.0019).

Conclusions: We found a significant association between these injuries and high-energy mechanisms, as well as the presence of aggregate injuries and the need to perform some stabilization due to the disruption of the pelvic ring