title: The letournel lateral approach for treatment of acetabular fractures.
abstract: The authors report 9 cases of acetabular fracture, 6 recent complex and 3 inveterate, treated surgically through the lateral incision of Letournel. This approach provides excellent exposure of the acetabulum, the iliac wing, the posterior column, and the anterior column up to the iliopectineal eminence. Nevertheless, the high incidence of often serious complications makes the combined anterior-posterior approach preferable for severe inveterate fractures of the acetabulum.
authors.affiliation: III Divisione Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sabetta
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Venturi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Specchia
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bettini
mesh_terms: D000077:Acetabulum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular