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Clinical and Radiological Outcomes of Spring Plate Augmentation in Posterior Wall Acetabular Fractures: A Prospective
Dharmendra Kumar1, Ankur Maan, Sujeet Kumar Chaudhary
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Annals of African Medicine
|July 23, 2026
Summary
Spring plate augmentation offers a reliable solution for complex posterior wall acetabular fractures, improving hip function and reducing the need for hip replacement surgery. This technique enhances fixation stability for better patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Trauma Surgery
- Skeletal Reconstruction
Background:
- Posterior wall acetabular fractures with comminution pose significant fixation challenges.
- Conventional buttress plating may not adequately maintain articular congruity.
- Spring plate augmentation is a potential solution, but clinical evidence is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical, radiological, and functional outcomes of spring plate-assisted fixation for posterior wall acetabular fractures.
- To assess the efficacy of spring plate augmentation in improving fragment-specific stability and maintaining articular congruity.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 60 patients with posterior wall acetabular fractures treated between 2017 and 2023.
- Fixation involved the Kocher-Langenbeck approach with spring plate augmentation and buttress plating.
- Minimum 2-year follow-up assessing modified Merle d'Aubigné and Postel (mMDP) scores and radiological outcomes (Matta's criteria).
Main Results:
- Anatomical reduction achieved in 81.7% of patients.
- Satisfactory radiological outcomes (excellent/good) in 91.7% at 2-year follow-up.
- Significant functional improvement with a mean mMDP score of 16.4; 86.7% achieved satisfactory functional results. Anatomical reduction correlated with better function (P=0.011).
- Low rates of posttraumatic arthritis (8.3%) and conversion to total hip arthroplasty (3.3%).
Conclusions:
- Spring plate augmentation combined with buttress plating offers reliable fixation for posterior wall acetabular fractures.
- This technique leads to favorable hip function and low mid-term rates of conversion to total hip arthroplasty.
- The findings support spring plate augmentation as an effective adjunct for managing complex acetabular fractures.