The safe screw path along inferior border of the arcuate line at acetabular area: an anatomical study based on CT scans

BACKGROUND: Misplaced screw during the internal fixation of acetabular fractures may penetrate the hip joint which might cause chondrolysis and traumatic osteoarthritis in the future. This study aims to acquire the safe path for screw insertion along inferior border of the arcuate line fixation route at acetabular area. METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) scans of 98 patients without pelvic trauma were rebuilt for three-dimensional models of pelvis. After depicting the fixation route curve, five cross-sections perpendicularly to the curve were established from the anterior of pelvis to the posterior along inferior border of the arcuate line. The safe screw lengths for section 1 and 5 were measured from the computer models. In section 2, 3 and 4, a line from the screw entry point tangent to the inferior edge of the acetabulum was depicted and the measurements of minimum safe direction of screw insertion were performed then marked with angle θ. RESULTS: The safe screw lengths for section 1 and 5 were 22.29 ± 4.41 mm and 32.64 ± 4.70 mm (n = 98). The minimum safe angles of screw insertion for the middle three sections 2, 3, and 4 were 65.38 ± 10.23°, 74.20 ± 10.20°, and 57.88 ± 11.11°(n = 98), respectively. The results for the male group (n = 98) indicated smaller minimum safe angles in these three sections compared with the female (n = 98). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to male, the minimum safe angles of screw placement at acetabular area for female should be more away from inferior edge of acetabulum and tilt to the bottom of pelvis along inferior border fixation route in surgical management of acetabular fractures.