• OBJECTIVES
    • To report functional outcomes of displaced acetabular fractures treated nonoperatively in the geriatric patient population.
  • DESIGN
    • Retrospective case series.
  • SETTING
    • Two Level I trauma centers.
  • PATIENTS
    • Twenty-seven patients 60 years of age or older who sustained displaced acetabular fractures during an 11-year period.
  • INTERVENTION
    • Nonoperative treatment.
  • MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS
    • Primary outcome measurements were Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores and Short Form 8 (SF-8) scores. Secondary outcome measurements were conversion to open reduction and internal fixation or total hip arthroplasty and 1-year mortality.
  • RESULTS
    • Twenty-six patients completed the WOMAC and SF-8 surveys. The overall WOMAC score was 12.9 ± 15.6 (range, 0-59.4). The average physical SF-8 was 51.1 ± 8.7 (range, 30.4-58.6), and the average mental SF-8 was 55 ± 6.2 (range, 30.4-58.6). The 1-year mortality rate was 24%. Conversion of treatment occurred in 15% of patients.
  • CONCLUSIONS
    • Elderly patients with fracture patterns that would qualify for operative treatment in younger healthy patients had surprisingly good outcome scores when treated nonoperatively.
  • LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
    • Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.