Long-term results in the patients with traumatic hip fracture-dislocation: Important prognostic factors

Traumatic hip dislocation with or without acetabular fractures can lead to various outcomes of the hip. Long-term follow-up studies on traumatic hip dislocation are few. We conducted a retrospective study of the treatment and long-term outcomes in patients with hip dislocation to determine prognostic factors.

From 2001 to 2016, we enrolled 38 patients in our study. All the patients had been diagnosed through radiography or computed tomography. Emergent closed reduction was performed initially. We hypothesized that poor outcomes, including osteonecrosis and traumatic osteoarthritis, are related to specific factors.

All the patients had posterior dislocation initially. Closed reduction or open reduction due to irreducible after closed reduction was performed within 6 hours of dislocation in most patients. In total, nine patients had poor outcomes of the hip, including osteonecrosis and traumatic osteoarthritis and total hip arthroplasty. Specific factors that lead to poor outcomes were patient age and timing of reduction.

Although end results in severe traumatic hip dislocation are disappointing, conservatism in applying the secondary reconstructive procedure is desirable. In our series, crucial factors for long-term prognosis were patient age and timing of hip reduction.