Geriatric Acetabular fracTures: Open Reduction Internal Fixation Versus Replacement

NCT ID: NCT03713853

Last Updated: 2025-12-24

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

104 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-12-31

Study Completion Date

2030-12-31

Brief Summary

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Management of acetabular (hip) fractures in the geriatric population can be very challenging because of pre-existing medical comorbidities, pre-existing osteoporosis and increased risk of mortality.

The two most common treatment options for acetabular fractures are either surgical fixation using plates and screws to hold the fractured pieces in the correct position until the fracture has healed or surgical fixation in addition to a total hip replacement.

Surgical fixation requires prolonged immobilization of the affected limb (typically around 6-12 weeks post-operatively), which can lead to disability and other complications. Such patients, especially those who are frail and cognitively impaired, are unable to adhere to the immobilization restrictions, leading to an increased risk of fixation failure.

Patients who underwent open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of an acetabular fracture were reported to have about 25 times greater incidence of hip replacement compared with general population matched controls.

Additionally, performing a subsequent hip replacement after a previous surgical fixation (ORIF) of an acetabular fracture, especially in the elderly population, can present a number of technical difficulties including; difficult dissection due to previous incision(s) and scarring, dealing with retained hardware, bony deficiency and the possibility of infected hardware.

The aim of the study is to perform a large cohort study to assess pain and physical function in patients 60 years and older who have sustained an acetabular fracture.

Detailed Description

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This is a multicentre observational cohort study, involving academic institutions affiliated with the Canadian Orthopaedic Trauma Society (COTS).

The study aims to compare two surgical treatments of acetabular fractures in patients 60 years of age and older. Patients who consent to participate will be included in the study and followed up as per standard of care up to 24 months after surgery. Participants will be treated for their acetabular fracture with either acute primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) together with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) in the same surgery or ORIF alone as per surgeon discretion.

After surgery, patients will be assessed using patient-reported outcomes oxford hip score, which is a valid, reliable, responsive measure of pain and function during short-term and long-term follow-up for hip osteoarthritis and THA.

The European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), will be used to assess the patient's quality of life and health status. The questionnaire is short and easy to use and shows good responsiveness in orthopaedic patients who undergo a hip replacement.

Timed Up \& Go Test (TUG) measures functional mobility (in seconds), and is a well-validated predictor of mobility and falls in patients who undergo orthopaedic surgery and hip replacement.

All patients will be followed as per standard of care for their follow up visits at 6 weeks, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months.

Conditions

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Acetabular Fracture

Keywords

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Total hip replacement Total hip arthroplasty Open Reduction internal Fixation Hip fixation

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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Total hip arthroplasty + ORIF

Patients will receive acute primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) as a treatment for their acetabular fracture

No interventions assigned to this group

Surgical Fixation (ORIF)

Patients will receive open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) as a treatment for their acetabular fracture

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* 60 years of age or older
* Isolated and Displaced (more or equal to 2mm on any radiographic view) fracture of the acetabulum
* Patient requires surgical treatment, either THA+ORIF or ORIF surgeries
* Fracture is acute (within 3 weeks of injury)
* Patient was ambulatory (with or without walking aids) prior to their acetabular fracture injury
* Patient is able to provide informed consent to participation in the study
* Patient is able to read and understand English

Exclusion Criteria

* Presence of an active or chronic infection around the fracture (soft tissue or bone)
* Open/compound fracture
* Bilateral acetabular fractures
* Pathological fracture excluding osteoporosis
* Periprosthetic fracture (previous arthroplasty or hardware or ORIF in-situ). Hardware (screws or plates or nails or hemi-arthroplasty) on the femoral side are not excluded.
* Medical or surgical contraindication to surgery
* Dementia
Minimum Eligible Age

60 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Unity Health Toronto

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Amir Khoshbin, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Unity Health Toronto

Locations

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Unity Health Toronto - St Michael's Hospital

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Canada

Central Contacts

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Cassandra Tardif-Theriault, BKin

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 4168646060

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Cassandra Tardif-Theriault

Role: primary

Ryan Khan

Role: backup

References

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Hanschen M, Pesch S, Huber-Wagner S, Biberthaler P. Management of acetabular fractures in the geriatric patient. SICOT J. 2017;3:37. doi: 10.1051/sicotj/2017026. Epub 2017 May 25.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28534471 (View on PubMed)

Firoozabadi R, Cross WW, Krieg JC, Routt MLC. Acetabular Fractures in the Senior Population- Epidemiology, Mortality and Treatments. Arch Bone Jt Surg. 2017 Mar;5(2):96-102.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28497099 (View on PubMed)

Boelch SP, Jordan MC, Meffert RH, Jansen H. Comparison of open reduction and internal fixation and primary total hip replacement for osteoporotic acetabular fractures: a retrospective clinical study. Int Orthop. 2017 Sep;41(9):1831-1837. doi: 10.1007/s00264-016-3260-x. Epub 2016 Aug 10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27511470 (View on PubMed)

Cahueque M, Martinez M, Cobar A, Bregni M. Early reduction of acetabular fractures decreases the risk of post-traumatic hip osteoarthritis? J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2017 Oct-Dec;8(4):320-326. doi: 10.1016/j.jcot.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Jan 13.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29062212 (View on PubMed)

Morison Z, Moojen DJ, Nauth A, Hall J, McKee MD, Waddell JP, Schemitsch EH. Total Hip Arthroplasty After Acetabular Fracture Is Associated With Lower Survivorship and More Complications. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2016 Feb;474(2):392-8. doi: 10.1007/s11999-015-4509-1.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26335343 (View on PubMed)

Khurana S, Nobel TB, Merkow JS, Walsh M, Egol KA. Total Hip Arthroplasty for Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis of the Hip Fares Worse Than THA for Primary Osteoarthritis. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ). 2015 Jul;44(7):321-5.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26161760 (View on PubMed)

Henry PDG, Si-Hyeong Park S, Paterson JM, Kreder HJ, Jenkinson R, Wasserstein D. Risk of Hip Arthroplasty After Open Reduction Internal Fixation of a Fracture of the Acetabulum: A Matched Cohort Study. J Orthop Trauma. 2018 Mar;32(3):134-140. doi: 10.1097/BOT.0000000000001048.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29462122 (View on PubMed)

O'Toole RV, Hui E, Chandra A, Nascone JW. How often does open reduction and internal fixation of geriatric acetabular fractures lead to hip arthroplasty? J Orthop Trauma. 2014 Mar;28(3):148-53. doi: 10.1097/BOT.0b013e31829c739a.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23719343 (View on PubMed)

Weaver MJ, Smith RM, Lhowe DW, Vrahas MS. Does Total Hip Arthroplasty Reduce the Risk of Secondary Surgery Following the Treatment of Displaced Acetabular Fractures in the Elderly Compared to Open Reduction Internal Fixation? A Pilot Study. J Orthop Trauma. 2018 Feb;32 Suppl 1:S40-S45. doi: 10.1097/BOT.0000000000001088.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29373451 (View on PubMed)

Hamlin K, Lazaraviciute G, Koullouros M, Chouari T, Stevenson IM, Hamilton SW. Should Total Hip Arthroplasty be Performed Acutely in the Treatment of Acetabular Fractures in Elderly or Used as a Salvage Procedure Only? Indian J Orthop. 2017 Jul-Aug;51(4):421-433. doi: 10.4103/ortho.IJOrtho_138_16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28790471 (View on PubMed)

Ortega-Briones A, Smith S, Rickman M. Acetabular Fractures in the Elderly: Midterm Outcomes of Column Stabilisation and Primary Arthroplasty. Biomed Res Int. 2017;2017:4651518. doi: 10.1155/2017/4651518. Epub 2017 Jan 17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28194414 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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18-0303

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id