Hip Socket Fracture Surgery.
Edited By: M.L. Chip Routt, Jr., M.D.
Last updated Wednesday, January 12, 2005
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Considering surgeryTypes of surgery recommended Acetabular (hip socket) fracture operations usually require surgical
exposures in order to clean the fracture sites, realign the fracture
fragments, and apply plates and screws to secure the fracture.
Who should consider hip socket fracture surgery? Patients with displaced and/or unstable acetabular fractures should
strongly consider having surgery. The decision to have surgery should
be discussed by the patient and physician.What happens without surgery? After an acetabular
fracture, fragments of bone may be scattered within the body. If
surgery is not used to fix this, these displaced fragments heal in
poorly aligned locations. Consequently, the acetabular cartilage
surfaces remain incongruous, and postraumatic arthritic changes occur
in the acetabulum.Surgical options A variety of surgical options exist for acetabular fractures. The
specific operation is selected based on the patient and their specific
fracture. Some fracture patterns are amenable to percutaneous (small
wound) surgical techniques, while others require open surgical
treatment.Urgency Acetabular fractures are easier to repair when the surgery takes
place within the first week after the injury. Early surgery also avoids
prolonged bedrest for the patient. Delaying the operation complicates
the surgical tactic.
Risks The risks associated with treating acetabular fractures are
numerous, and unfortunately not uncommon. These exist for both surgical
and nonsurgical treatments, and include deep vein blood clots and
pneumonia, among others. Surgical risks include, but are not limited
to, wound infection, nerve injury, and scarring.
Managing risk Risks are best managed by being aware of their possibility and trying
to prevent them. Deep vein clots are treated with anticoagulation
(blood thinner) medications. Infections require subsequent surgeries to
cleanse the wound. An experienced surgeon should be able to handle not
only the surgery, but its complications too.Surgery for Hip Socket Fracture at the University of Washington, Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Seattle, Washington If you are interested in making an appointment to discuss this procedure in Seattle, you can request an appointment using our online referrals website. To request a referral online, please click here. You can also call 206-598-4288 to make an appointment. Our clinical center is located in Seattle Washington, USA
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