Objectives: To identify the risk factors for early reoperation after operative fixation of acetabular fractures.
Design: Retrospective evaluation.
Setting: Level I Trauma Center.
Patients: Seven hundred ninety-one patients with displaced acetabular fractures treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) from 2006 to 2015. Average follow-up was 52 weeks.
Main outcome measures: Early reoperation after acetabular ORIF, defined as secondary procedure for infection or revision within 3 years of initial operation.
Results: Fifty-six (7%) patients underwent irrigation and debridement for infection and wound complications. Four associated risk factors identified were length of stay in the intensive care unit, pelvic embolization, operative time, and time delay between injury and surgical fixation. Sixty-two (8%) patients underwent early revision, including 45 conversions to total hip arthroplasty, 10 revision ORIF, 6 fixation device removals because of concern for joint penetration (2 acutely and 4 > 6 months after surgery), and 1 stabilization procedure. Three risk factors associated with early revision were hip dislocation, articular comminution, and concomitant femoral head or neck injury. Combined injuries to the pelvic ring and acetabulum, fracture pattern, marginal impaction, and body mass index had no significant effect on early revision surgery.
Conclusions: Risk factors for early reoperation after operative fixation of acetabular fractures differed based on the reason for return to the operating room. Infection was more likely to occur in patients who had prolonged stays in the intensive care unit, had prolonged operative times, were embolized, or experienced delay in time to fixation. Revision was more likely with hip dislocation, articular comminution, femoral head or neck fracture, and advancing age.
Level of evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.