Posterior fracture dislocation of the hip from a Warrior turret injury

Fracture of the femoral head after hip dislocation is a relatively rare injury and is often associated with a poor functional outcome. Most result from high impact motor vehicle accidents. We report the case of a soldier who trapped his foot in a traversing Warrior turret and suffered a severe abduction injury to his hip. He sustained a Pipkin Type I fracture-dislocation of the hip not amenable to closed reduction and required transfer to the American Hospital in Baghdad where he underwent emergency open reduction and internal fixation of the fracture. This case report illustrates an unusual mechanism of injury resulting in a posterior fracture-dislocation and reviews the literature pertaining to the presentation, treatment and prognosis of this condition.