Morbid obesity and osteoarthritis are conditions that place a significant burden on the US healthcare system. Acetabular fracture is a known cause of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) and morbid obesity contributes to the development of osteoarthritis. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of PTOA in morbidly obese patients who underwent acetabular fracture fixation.
A retrospective review of morbidly obese patients who underwent acetabular fracture repair was performed. Patient information included demographics, body mass index, patient age, and length of hospital stay. The prevalence of PTOA was determined by radiographic review with a minimum follow-up of 4 years.
There were 299 acetabular fracture fixations performed from 2007 to 2012 at our institution and 39 of these were in morbidly obese patients. One patient was excluded due to preoperative osteoarthritis of the hip. Of the 38 patients, 26 (68%) went on to develop PTOA after acetabular fracture fixation. This is significantly higher than previously reported rates of PTOA after acetabular fracture fixation. There was a higher rate of PTOA in morbidly obese males compared with females (P=0.008).
Morbid obesity appears to pose a significantly increased risk for the development of PTOA after fixation of acetabular fractures.