title: Percutaneous retrograde screwing for stabilisation of acetabular fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the results of retrograde percutaneous screw fixation (PSF) in minimally or undisplaced acetabular fractures in a geriatric population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between July 1998 and July 2001, 21 consecutive patients with an acetabular fracture underwent fluoroscopic guided percutaneous fixation. The mean age was 81 years (range 67--90 years). In all cases, the fracture was minimally or undisplaced (<2mm). Two cannulated cancellous 7.3mm screws were inserted in a retrograde fashion to stabilise the posterior and the anterior column. Bed to chair transfer began after 24h. Weight bearing as tolerated was allowed at 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen patients were reviewed at a mean of 3.5 years (range 2--5 years). Soft tissue dissection was minimal. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. At the latest follow-up there was no radiographical evidence of secondary displacement of fragments, degenerative changes, or screw failure. Fractures healed at a mean time of 12 weeks (range 8--15 weeks). Clinical results were satisfactory in 17 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that percutaneous screw fixation under fluoroscopic control is a safe technique to treat some pattern of acetabular fracture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland. elyazid.mouhsine@hospvd.ch
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mouhsine
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garofalo
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Borens
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wettstein
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Blanc
authors.forename: J-F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: P-F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Leyvraz
mesh_terms: D000077:Acetabulum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001863:Bone Screws; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology