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RACS ASC 2024

Traumatic obturator hip dislocation with ipsilateral impaction fracture of the femoral head and pubic root fracture in a 17 year old female

Poster

Presentation Description

Institution: Rotorua Hospital - Bay of Plenty, Aotearoa New Zealand

Traumatic obturator fracture hip dislocations are rare injuries which account for 2-7% of hip dislocations. They are associated with a high-energy traumas, in young adults where the hip is forcefully abducted, externally rotated and flexed. To our knowledge, obturator dislocation with associates impaction fracture of the femoral head and a pubic root fracture has not been previously described in the literature. The patient concerned was a 17 year-old female involved in a high-speed MVA car vs tree. She was an unrestrained passenger in the back seat on the drivers side. On initial assessment in ED, xrays confirmed a dislocated left hip. Assuming this was a posterior dislocation, the patient sedated and reduction was attempted which was unsuccessful. A Trauma CT was then done which showed that this was an obturator dislocation of the left hip with associated impaction fracture of the femoral head and a pubic root fracture. The patient was then taken to theatre for closed reduction under a general anaesthetic which was successful. The patient was then transferred to the closest tertiary centre for formal fixation of her hip. At the three-month postoperative mark the patient was reviewed in our clinic and she exhibited painless weightbearing of the left hip. The xrays showed an enlocated hip with some callus formation around the acetabulum and no evidence of avascular necrosis. Despite the complexity of this injury, closed reduction within 6 hours of the injury under a general anaesthetic was still possible which decreases the risk of avascular necrosis for this patient. Definitive fixation for the patient took components of fixation techniques previously described in literature which avoided arthroplasty in a young patient.

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Authors

Authors

Ms Carissa Murugesh - , Ms Mary Nugent - , Mr Mark Huang -