Functional Outcomes of Elderly Patients With Nonoperatively Treated Acetabular Fractures That Meet Operative Criteria.

OBJECTIVES

To report functional outcomes of displaced acetabular fractures treated nonoperatively in the geriatric patient population.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

SETTING

Two Level I trauma centers.

PATIENTS

Twenty-seven patients 60 years of age or older who sustained displaced acetabular fractures during an 11-year period.

INTERVENTION

Nonoperative treatment.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Primary outcome measurements were Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores and Short Form 8 (SF-8) scores. Secondary outcome measurements were conversion to open reduction and internal fixation or total hip arthroplasty and 1-year mortality.

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients completed the WOMAC and SF-8 surveys. The overall WOMAC score was 12.9 ± 15.6 (range, 0-59.4). The average physical SF-8 was 51.1 ± 8.7 (range, 30.4-58.6), and the average mental SF-8 was 55 ± 6.2 (range, 30.4-58.6). The 1-year mortality rate was 24%. Conversion of treatment occurred in 15% of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly patients with fracture patterns that would qualify for operative treatment in younger healthy patients had surprisingly good outcome scores when treated nonoperatively.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.