Arthroscopic Treatment of Acetabular Rim Fracture after Traumatic Posterior Hip Dislocation: A Case Series Study

Objective: To investigate the clinical and radiographic short-term results of arthroscopic treatment for posterior labrum tears with an attached bony fragment after traumatic posterior hip dislocation.

Methods: Between July 2014 and May 2019, a consecutive series of nine patients diagnosed with a posterior labrum tear with an attached bony fragment after traumatic posterior hip dislocation were treated by hip arthroscopic techniques. The patients had been injured in traffic accidents (n = 6) or high falls (n = 3). All patients were provided primary treatment at the emergency department of our institution, and then were transferred to our department for arthroscopy. Demographic data (e.g. gender, age, etc), intraoperative findings, the preoperative and postoperative multiple clinical scores and radiological results were subsequently assessed. Visual analogue scale for pain (VAS) and modified Harris hip scores (mHHSs) were measured and compared before surgery, and at the last follow-up.

Results: A total of nine patients were enrolled, all of them were male, with a mean age at surgery of 32.2 ± 5.6 years (range, 22-65 years). The patients were followed-up for an average of 26.5 ± 4.1 (range, 24 to 50 years). During the arthroscopic surgery, all patients had labral tears with posterior acetabular rim fracture. All patients had loose osteochondral fragments. Five had partial or complete tears of ligamentum teres. Two patients had osteochondral damage. Two had capsular rupture. Postoperative X-ray films and three dimension computed tomography (3D-CT) showed satisfactory reduction of posterior acetabular wall fractures. The mHHS before surgery and at 1 year and 2 years after surgery were 51.8 ± 4.3, 81.8 ± 2.0 and 87.5 ± 1.9 respectively; VAS scores were 5.6 ± 0.5, 1.3 ± 0.3 and 0.7 ± 0.3 respectively. As compared with the condition before surgery, there was a significant improvement in the mHHS and VAS scores at 1 year and 2 years after surgery (P < 0.01). There was no significant improvement in the mHHS and VAS scores between 1 year and 2 years after surgery (P < 0.05). At the final follow-up, all patients had regained full range of motion (ROM) and were satisfied with the results. None of the patients showed signs of heterotopic ossification, avascular necrosis or progression of osteoarthritis of the hip joint.

Conclusion: Traumatic dislocation is accompanied by a variety of intra-articular hip joint pathologies. Managing posterior acetabular rim fracture after traumatic posterior hip dislocation using arthroscopic reduction and fixation with anchors is a safe and minimally invasive option and delays the progression of traumatic osteoarthritis.