title: Anterior column fractures of the acetabulum.
abstract: We retrospectively reviewed 20 patients at three to 19 years after displaced anterior fracture-dislocations of the hip. Eighteen of them were treated by traction, after ensuring that the femoral head was adequately reduced beneath the undisrupted part of the weight-bearing dome. Two required operation. Although none of the 18 conservatively treated fractures was reduced anatomically, the results were good in ten patients and excellent in the seven in whom the fracture did not involve the weight-bearing dome. We conclude that anterior column fractures have a favourable prognosis after conservative treatment.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heeg
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Otter
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Klasen
mesh_terms: D000077:Acetabulum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014143:Traction / Q000379:methods*; D016474:Weight-Bearing