Does a simultaneous ventral/dorsal approach provide better reduction quality in treating acetabular fracture involving both columns with displaced posterior wall?

Introduction Various surgical techniques have been proposed to manage acetabular fractures involving both columns with posterior wall displacement. However, the optimal surgical approach to achieve satisfactory reduction quality remains controversial. Materials and methods This retrospective study evaluated 34 patients with fractures who were treated at a single medical institution. The patients were divided into two groups according to the ventral/dorsal surgical approach employed: simultaneous (SI) and sequential (SE). Perioperative parameters, as well as radiological and functional outcomes, were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Results The SI and SE groups comprised 9 and 23 out of the 34 patients, respectively. The SI group exhibited a significantly shorter surgical time and lower estimated blood loss than the SE group (p=0.04 and 0.03, respectively). The quality of reductions of the anterior and posterior columns was similar between the two groups; however, superior reduction in the fracture gap of the posterior wall was observed in the SI group, as revealed by axial and coronal computed tomography scans. Conclusions A simultaneous ventral and dorsal approach through the pararectus and the modified Gibson approach confer clinical advantages in reducing the fracture gap, surgical time, and intraoperative blood loss when managing acetabular fractures involving both columns and a displaced posterior wall. Therefore, these surgical approaches may be considered to be optimal for achieving satisfactory reduction quality in such fractures.