Acetabular fractures in children and adolescents

A retrospective study of 29 acetabular fractures in children 2 to 16 years of age with an average followup of 14 years is presented. Nineteen patients had an additional dislocation of the femoral head and 14 patients had an associated neurologic injury. Surgical treatment was performed in 16 patients and consisted of open reduction and internal fixation in 14 patients and a simple arthrotomy in two patients. Thirteen patients were treated nonoperatively with traction or bedrest. The outcome was satisfactory in all patients with undisplaced fractures and fractures with disruption of a small fragment. Eight patients with linear fractures with instability all were treated surgically. All but one of the patients had a satisfactory functional outcome; one patient had early degenerative changes develop after an open pelvic and acetabular fracture. Patients with central fractures and dislocations had a relatively poor outcome, and congruency was achieved in only one of the four patients who were treated surgically. Results may deteriorate with time, as was seen when the results of the current study were compared with those published 10 years previously