• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• 제37권2호
• /
• pp.161-165
• /
• 2024

Femoral head fractures with associated hip dislocations substantially impact the functional prognosis of the hip joint and present a surgical challenge. The surgeon must select a safe approach that enables osteosynthesis of the fracture while also preserving the vascularization of the femoral head. The optimal surgical approach for these injuries remains a topic of debate. A 44-year-old woman was involved in a road traffic accident, which resulted in a posterior iliac dislocation of the hip associated with a Pipkin type II fracture of the femoral head. Given the size of the detached fragment and the risk of incarceration preventing reduction, we opted against attempting external orthopedic reduction maneuvers. Instead, we chose to perform open reduction and internal fixation using the Watson-Jones anterolateral approach. This involved navigating between the retracted tensor fascia lata muscle, positioned medially, and the gluteus medius and minimus muscles, situated laterally. During radiological and clinical follow-up visits extending to postoperative month 15, the patient showed no signs of avascular necrosis of the femoral head, progression toward coxarthrosis, or heterotopic ossification. The Watson-Jones anterolateral approach is a straightforward intermuscular and internervous surgical procedure. This method provides excellent exposure of the femoral head, preserves its primary vascularization, allows for anterior dislocation, and facilitates the anatomical reduction and fixation of the fracture.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• 제25권1호
• /
• pp.25-27
• /
• 2012

A 30-year-old, male truck driver had a traffic accident and visited a hospital due to left hip pain. The patient's femoral head was fractured, and he was treated conservatively. For 14 years afterwards, he walked without a limp, had no pain, and drove his truck. He was involved in another traffic accident and experienced a comminuted fracture of the left distal femur 14 years after the initial injury. Although he was symptom-free, while being treated by open reduction and internal fixation for the distal femur fracture, he was concerned about the status of his left femoral head. Pelvis radiographs and reconstructed CT images were done, and they showed a spur change around the femoral head which had a dense sclerotic band within and revealed a slight depression of subchondral bone of the medial portion of the femoral head. The diagnosis was a Pipkin type-II fracture of the femoral head.