Screw fixation of ACPHT acetabular fractures offers sufficient biomechanical stability when compared to standard buttress plate fixation

摘要

Geriatric acetabular fractures require fixation with sufficient primary stability to allow for immediate full-weight bearing. Minimally-invasive procedures would be desirable in order to keep perioperative morbidity low. The purpose of this study was to compare the biomechanical strength of lag screw-only fixation of anterior column posterior hemi-transverse (ACPHT) acetabular fractures to standard anatomical plate fixation. Standardized ACPHT fractures were created in fourth generation synthetic pelvis models and stabilized by either an anatomical buttress plate (n?=?4) or by a screw-only construct (n?=?4). In a validated setup, a cyclic loading protocol was applied with increasing axial force (3200?cycles, 175?N to 2250?N). Construct survival, acetabular fracture motion, and mode of failure were assessed. The median number of cycles needed until failure of the construct occurred was 2304?cycles (range, 2020 to 2675) in the plate fixation group and 3200?cycles (range, 3101 to 3200) for the screw fixation constructs (p?=?.003). With regard to energy absorbed until failure, the plate fixation group resisted to 1.57?×?106?N*cycles (range, 1.21?×?106 to 2.14?×?106) and the screw fixation group to 3.17?×?106?N*cycles (range, 2.92?×?106 to 3.17?×?106?0.1). In this in vitro biomechanical study, screw-only fixation of an ACPHT acetabular fracture resulted in at least as good construct survival as seen for standard buttress plate fixation. Both methods resisted sufficiently to forces that would be expected under physiologic conditions.