Title

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Traumatic Posterior Hip Dislocation

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2010

Abstract

Objectives: The objective was to report the ability of a magnetic resonance image to document the integrity of the obturator externus tendon after posterior hip dislocation as a potential predictor for preserved femoral head vascularity.

Design: Retrospective radiographic and clinical pilot study.

Setting: Level I trauma center.

Patients/Participants: Nineteen consecutive patients with traumatic posterior hip dislocation.

Outcome Evaluation: Intraoperative correlation of soft tissue damage and radiographic assessment of avascular necrosis of the femoral head 3 years postinjury.

Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging performed in the acute phase of posterior hip dislocation. Correlation with intraoperative findings during surgical hip dislocation and with avascular necrosis 3 years postinjury.

Results: The obturator externus tendon was intact in all cases with preserved femoral head vascularity. After a 3-year follow up, there were no cases of avascular necrosis.

Conclusion: In this small series of patients, posterior hip dislocation did not imply a tear of the obturator externus muscle. An intact obturator externus tendon suggests preservation of the deep branch of the medial femoral circumflex artery to the femoral head.

Comments

Due to copyright restrictions the publisher's version/PDF of this article is unavailable for download.

This article may be accessed from the publisher here

The Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma may be accessed from the National Library of Australia here


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