Combined Acetabulum Fracture and Hip Dislocation in an 18-Year-Old Female at 35-Week Gestation: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Caring for an injured, pregnant patient can be a management challenge. We report the case of an 18-year-old female who sustained a left acetabulum fracture with a concurrent hip dislocation at 35 weeks' gestation following a motor vehicle accident. Through an interdisciplinary, team-based approach, the patient was guided through obstetric delivery and orthopedic surgical fracture fixation without complication. By being familiar with the unique challenges in management posed by pregnant patients, orthopedic surgeons can be better equipped to minimize morbidity and mortality in this patient population while maximizing clinical outcomes.

Figure 1

(a) AP radiograph and (b) axial CT scan of the pelvis obtained in the initial trauma evaluation, demonstrating a left transverse posterior wall acetabulum fracture with concurrent hip dislocation in this patient with a gravid uterus.

Figure 2

Three-dimensional reconstructions of the CT scan obtained in the initial trauma evaluation, further delineating the fracture pattern.

Figure 3

Postoperative AP and Judet radiographs of the pelvis demonstrating stable internal fixation and progression of healing at three months following surgery.