Combined Hip Procedure Versus Open Reduction and Internal Fixation for Displaced Acetabular Fractures in Patients Older than 75 years: A Matched Cohort Study

  • 1Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
  • 2Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
  • 3Université de Lille, Lille, France; and.
  • 4Centre de Recherche FRQS du CHU de Québec, Axe Médecine Régénératrice, Quebec City, QC, Canada.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To compare surgical outcomes between combined hip procedure (CHP: open reduction and internal fixation [ORIF] with total hip replacement) and ORIF alone for the treatment of displaced acetabular fractures in a geriatric population.

DESIGN

Retrospective case-control study.

SETTING

Academic Level 1 trauma center.

PATIENTS

Consecutive patients from 2012 till 2020 with acetabular fractures fitting inclusion criteria were enrolled.

INTERVENTION

Combined hip procedure or ORIF alone for displaced acetabular fractures.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT

Revision surgery at the latest follow-up, defined as the need for implant revision in the CHP group and conversion to total hip replacement in the ORIF group.

RESULTS

The need for revision surgery was lower in the CHP group (12.5%) compared with the ORIF alone group (25%). The median time for conversion to total hip replacement in the ORIF alone group was 2.6 years. Ten-year survivorship was significantly higher in the CHP group (85.7% vs. 45.8%, P < 0.01). Patients in the CHP group presented with higher American Society of Anesthesiologists and Charlson index scores and had more marginal impaction and concomitant femoral head fractures.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients older than 75 years presenting with a displaced acetabular fracture with marginal impaction or femoral head fracture, survivorship of CHP is higher than ORIF alone. A combined hip procedure should be considered in such patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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