FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME OF SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF ACETABULAR FRACTURES BY INTERNAL FIXATION

BACKGROUND: The treatment of acetabular fractures has seen major advances in the field of orthopaedic traumatology. Conservative treatment of acetabular fractures leads to poor results. Newer diagnostic tools like the Computed Tomography (CT) scan help in analyzing the three dimensional disturbance in the normal anatomy and plan the surgical management accordingly. In recent years operative treatment has become the treatment of choice in the management of acetabular fractures as precise anatomical reduction with adequate internal fixation can be attained. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the functional outcome of operatively managed acetabular fractures, and assess the efficacy of operative fixation of acetabular fractures, and also study the complications of operative fixation of acetabular fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty five patients (49 male & six female) admitted to Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Trauma and Orthopaedics with acetabular fractures underwent open reduction and internal fixation. All patients were evaluated with Matta et al score with a minimum of follow up of six months. RESULTS: There were 24 (43.6%) patients with bicolumnar fractures, 15(27.3%) had posterior column fractures, 10(18.1%) had posterior wall fractures, five (9.1%) had transverse fractures, and one (1.8%) patient had an anterior column fracture. Full weight bearing was attained in thirty five (63.6%) patients in 16 weeks and in twenty (36.4%) patients after 16 weeks. Forty five (81.8%) patients were free of complications. According to Matta et al score 27(49.1%) had excellent, 15(27.3%) had good, nine (16.4%) had fair, and four (7.3%) had poor results. CONCLUSION: Open reduction and internal fixation of acetabular fractures is a reliable technique, minimizes healing time and provides congruent joint reduction. Operative treatment of acetabular fractures results in predictable union and good clinical results with a low rate of complications.