Case: A 51-year-old man was affected by a fracture-related infection after a bicolumnar acetabular fracture. A significant alteration of the anatomy was present; thus, a 3D-printed model was useful for planning. A two-stage treatment was planned: in the first stage, implant removal with irrigation and debridement was performed, while in the second stage, a new osteosynthesis and implant of a THA were planned. During the second stage, the patient suffered a cardiogenic shock, so a third surgical procedure was necessary to implant THA. Targeted antibiotic therapy was administered eight weeks after the first stage, with the resolution of the infection.
Conclusions: The infection was resolved following the recent guidelines and treating it like a periprosthetic infection with a two-stage revision. A collaboration between specialists in orthopaedics and infectious disease, respectively, and using multidisciplinary approach, were mandatory.
Keywords: 3D printing; acetabular fracture; fracture-related infection.