Treatment options of pelvic and acetabular fractures in patients with osteoporotic bone

Abstract

The incidence of pelvic ring and acetabular fractures in the elderly is climbing relentlessly. This increase is attributed to a greater longevity and a decrease in the incidence of alcohol-related trauma in younger adults. Often, the elderly trauma patient has compromised physiological reserve and healing capacity due to concomitant morbidities, resulting in a less favourable clinical outcome. The presence of osteopenic or osteoporotic bone and other treatments for existing comorbidities hamper some treatment alternatives, especially those designed for younger patients. Diverse clinical presentations include minor trauma, major polytrauma and insufficiency fractures. An assessment of the general health and functional status of the patient is of utmost importance to determine the optimal treatment. The different treatment options of pelvic and acetabular fractures in the presence of osteoporosis vary mainly according to the clinical presentation and include: conservative methods, percutaneous or minimally invasive procedures, open reduction and fixation, and primary total hip arthroplasty. Whichever treatment is chosen, even for elderly people, the aim is a rapid mobilisation of the patient in order to reduce complications to some extent inherent to this age group.