OBJECTIVE: Correlate the postoperative radiographic evaluation with variables accompanying acetabular fractures in order to determine the predictive factors for segmental impaction of femoral head. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of medial files of patients submitted to open reduction surgery with internal acetabular fixation. Within approximately 35 years, 596 patients were treated for acetabular fractures; 267 were followed up for at least two years. The others were excluded either because their follow up was shorter than the minimum time, or as a result of the lack of sufficient data reported on files, or because they had been submitted to non-surgical treatment. The patients were followed up by one of three surgeons of the group using the Merle d'Aubigné and Postel clinical scales as well as radiological studies. RESULTS: Only tow studied variables - age and amount of postoperative reduction- showed statistically significant correlation with femoral head impaction. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of reduction - anatomical or with up to 2mm residual deviation - presents a good radiographic evolution, reducing the potential for segmental impaction of the femoral head, a statistically significant finding.
Acetabulum; Hip fractures; Acetabulum; Femur head necrosis
