Total hip arthroplasty with acetabular fixation: an unexpected complication.

The incidence of vascular injuries associated with total hip arthroplasty (THA) is low. However, several vascular structures are at risk of injury within the pelvis. These include the external iliac, femoral, and obturator vessels. Both reaming of the acetabulum and drilling of the acetabular screw holes may place these structures at risk. If left untreated, injuries to these vessels may be associated with severe morbidity and mortality. In this report, an acute vascular complication that had an unusual presentation is highlighted. A 72-year-old woman presented to the emergency department following a road traffic accident in which she sustained a combined fracture of the right acetabulum and femoral head. Her treatment involved a combination of THA and pelvic open reduction and internal fixation. The immediate perioperative recovery period was uncomplicated. However, the patient developed a deep venous thrombus in her right calf 7 days after surgery. Further investigation revealed a second thrombus, occluding the right common femoral vein. Surgical exploration revealed that a screw placed during the initial surgery was pressing against the vessel and occluding it. The discrepancy in incidence between the development of deep venous thrombosis and vascular compression or injury means that the association between the 2 events is unlikely to be made. The author highlights this unusual presentation to improve early recognition and prompt management of similar cases. The importance of adequate preoperative planning and intraoperative imaging with a C-arm is also stressed.