Prevention and Treatment of Acetabular Fractures in Total Hip Arthroplasty

Unrecognized iatrogenic intraoperative acetabular fractures in total hip arthroplasty are preventable complications. Failure to identify these fractures results in high morbidity and implant failure rates. High risk situations in which acetabular fractures are likely have been identified. By focusing on patient characteristics, acetabular exposure, reaming, implant differences, and the “dial-in” technique, our goals are to emphasize “high risk” situations as well as technical pearls to prevent iatrogenic acetabular fractures. Finally, the treatment options for intraoperative iatrogenic acetabular fractures have been presented.