• OBJECTIVES
    • The primary objective was to study the incidence of femoral head osteonecrosis after Ganz approach for Pipkin fracture dislocations. Clinico-radiological and functional outcomes were also studied.
  • DESIGN
    • Prospective, nonrandomised.
  • SETTING
    • Tertiary care trauma center.
  • PATIENTS
    • Twenty-eight patients with type I/II Pipkin fracture dislocation reduced within 6 hours of injury.
  • INTERVENTION
    • The displaced head fracture was addressed through safe surgical dislocation after urgent closed reduction of the hip.
  • OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS
    • Incidence of osteonecrosis using radiographs and functional outcome using modified Merle d'Aubigne and Oxford scores were studied.
  • RESULTS
    • Twenty-six fractures were fixed, and 2 type I fractures were excised. Twenty-six of 28 patients were followed up for a mean of 36 months. There was no osteonecrosis. All fractures and osteotomies had united. The mean modified Merle d'Aubigne score was 16.5 (14-18), and the mean Oxford score was 42.65 (38-48).
  • CONCLUSIONS
    • Safe surgical dislocation provides satisfactory results in Pipkin fracture dislocations. The incidence of osteonecrosis is not increased in patients undergoing early joint reduction.
  • LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
    • Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.