Functional outcomes more than 5 years following acetabulum fracture

OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this project were to evaluate functional outcomes more than 5 years after acetabulum fracture and to determine factors related to function. METHODS: This retrospective study consisted of 205 adult patients treated for acetabulum fracture who completed the Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (MFA) a minimum of 5 years following injury. The MFA includes survey of daily activities, gross and fine mobility, social and work function, sleeping, and mood. Higher scores indicate worse function. RESULTS: Two hundred five patients with 210 fractures, 69.3% of whom were male, with mean age of 45.7 and mean body mass index 30.1 were included after mean 128 months follow-up. Fracture patterns included OTA/AO 62A (37.1%), 62B (40.5%), or 62C (22.4%), and 80.0% were treated surgically. Late complications were noted in 35.2%, including posttraumatic arthrosis (PTA: 19.5%), osteonecrosis and/or heterotopic ossification. Mean MFA of all patients was 31.4, indicating substantial residual dysfunction. Worse MFA scores were associated with morbid obesity (body mass index >40: 42.3, P>.09), and current tobacco smoking history vs former smoker vs nonsmoker (45.2 vs 36.1 vs 23.0, P < .002). Patients with late complications had worse mean MFA scores (38.7 vs 27.7, P = .001); PTA was the most common late complication, occurring in 19.5%. CONCLUSIONS: More than 5 years following acetabulum fracture, substantial residual dysfunction was noted, as demonstrated by mean MFA. Worse outcomes were associated with late complications and tobacco smoking. While fracture pattern was not associated with outcome, those patients who had late complications, mostly PTA, had worse outcomes.