Are screws enough? functional outcome in surgically treated posterior acetabular wall fracture using cannulated cancellous screws

Abstract

Background: Posterior wall fractures of acetabulum are the commonest type of acetabular fractures 1,2. These fractures are usually associated with posterior dislocation of hip. Anatomical reduction and fixation are important to restore congruity and stability of joint, to decrease the risk of secondary arthritis and thus attain good functional outcome 3. Fixation modalities comprise of both recon plates in buttress mode, lag screw fixation or combination of both.In our study, we aimed to assess the functional outcome and complications following the use of only cannulated screws as fixation mo Material and methods: A total of 11 patients with a diagnosis of posterior acetabular wall fracture were treated with surgical fixation of posterior acetabular wall using only cannulated cancellous screws. The patients were followed up strictly for 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, as well as 1 year and thereafter at yearly intervals as long as possible. Functional and radiological assessment were done using Merle D’Aubigne and Postel grading system and Matta’s radiological criteria. Result:In our study, we noticed excellent outcome in 100% of the patients who had posterior wall fractures without hip dislocation.