Arthroscopy-Assisted Reduction and Fixation of Femoral Head and Acetabulum Fractures: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Objective: To perform a systematic review to determine the current arthroscopic techniques of the fixation of femoral head and acetabulum fractures and assess the radiological and functional outcomes reported in literature written in English.

Methods: This review was performed by searching PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science without a filter for time limitation in line with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. Two authors took part in screening and evaluating the literature between December 2020 and January 2021. The terms acetabulum fracture, reduction, fixation, femur head fracture, fracture dislocation of the hip, hip trauma and arthroscopy or arthroscopic, and their combinations were used to search four database engines in the titles and abstracts of the reported papers. Only papers with English titles and abstracts were included. The assessment of the data related to descriptions of the techniques, indications for fracture fixation using arthroscopy, and patient-related outcomes.

Results: Perfect agreement was detected between the two reviewers during all steps of the review process (κ = 0.81-1.00). Although a meta-analysis was planned to be carried out, no randomized controlled study comparing either the radiological or functional results of different surgical techniques was detected in the literature. Nineteen studies were included in the study. Of these, 15 were retrospective case reports and four were case series. Twenty-seven patients were operated on for acetabulum fractures (18 male/nine female). The mean age was 28.3 years (range, 15-53 years). High-energy traumas including motor vehicle accidents were the most common reason (81%). The duration of follow-up was a mean of 32 months (range, 12-68 months). Sixteen patients were operated on for femur fractures (12 male/three female). The mean age was 30.1 years (range, 17-50 years). Motor vehicle accident was the most common trauma (70%). Duration of follow-up had a mean of 18 months (range, 4-60 months). Patient-related outcomes were excellent for reported cases in both groups despite the fact that an objective scoring system was not used for most of the cases. Moreover, there was no consensus on surgical indications or the techniques.

Conclusions: The techniques of arthroscopic-assisted fixation of acetabulum and femoral head fracture are so heterogeneous that conclusions cannot be made at this time, but there is potential for this method of treatment to become more popular as the devices used in the procedure develop and as exposure to and experience with hip arthroscopy improves. Further descriptions of reduction and fixation techniques and analysis of outcomes of RCTs are needed.

Keywords: Acetabulum fracture; Arthroscopy; Femur head fracture; Fixation; Reduction.