Acetabular fractures

Acetabular fractures

Fractures of the acetabulum ( The cup-shaped cavity or socket at the base of the hipbone where the ball-shaped head of the femur fits) occur when the head of the femur is driven into the pelvis.

There are two common patterns of trauma:

• a blow from the side - e.g. a fall
• a posterior dislocation of the hip - e.g. a blow on the knee from a car crash

Acetabular fractures are particularly complex because they combine:

• the complications of pelvic fractures - notably vascular damage
• the complications of joint disruption - notably articular cartilage damage, malcongruent loading and secondary arthritis