Pelvic Acetabulum Fracture Fixation - Know About It!

Fractures in the pelvis or acetabulum are serious issues, especially when the patient has met with an accident. It is the most complex type of orthopedic surgery and requires immediate medical attention. The fractures are more common in old ages as older patients have a weak hip bone. Although, all ages are prone to pelvic or acetabulum fractures. To understand the fractures and treatment, you must understand the anatomy of the pelvis. The acetabulum is the part of the pelvis and the hip joint is the largest joint in the body. These parts are connected with a ball and socket method. Acetabulum forms the socket in the structure, and the ball is the femoral head which connects the thigh bone and acetabulum. The pelvis supports most of the lower part of the body, including major blood vessels, nerves, abdominal system, bladder, and reproductive organs. A pelvic or acetabulum fracture may happen due to vehicle accident or fall. But the severity of the fracture is determined by the number of fractures, fracture in the socket or ball of the joint.

Causes

Acetabulum fractures are caused due to the force in the hip joints, femur head, or the sockets on the joints. The force can be from the knee or sides. The direction of the force can result in the dislocation of the hips. This force can dislocate the femur balls from the sockets, which can be very painful. Severe acetabulum fracture can be due to a high impact force like high fall or vehicle accidents. These cases are taken immediately to the surgery and need immediate medical attention. Apart from this, weak bones or joint in the old age is the most common reason for acetabulum fractures. Hip joints take the weight of the entire body and hence gets weak with age. Even a simple fall from walking or standing can result in a pelvic fracture.

Symptoms

A fractured pelvis or acetabulum causes severe pain for the patient. If the injury is caused due to a high impact force, it can also result in bleeding. The numbness in the legs and nerve damage can leave tingling sensation which can be part of the fracture. The patient is required to be operated at soonest and needs complete rest for months. Treatment Doctors suggest various treatment to the patient with acetabulum fracture. Sometimes nonsurgical treatment is offered to the patient whose fractures are stable and may heal naturally. In such cases, the doctor recommends walking aids like crutches to help them walk. However, most acetabulum fracture needs surgery. If the damage is in the joint and it is impossible for the patient to move, then doctors recommend surgery.

Take Away

Pelvis fracture is an extremely painful damage to the most essential joint in the body. Though there are surgery available for correcting the fracture, it is always advisable to consult a doctor before going for any treatment option.