Acetabular fractures

Summary

Three retrospective cohort studies of patients with acetabular fractures examined the impact of morbid obesity on patient complications after operative fracture fixation. The morbidly obese patient appears to have an elevated risk of more perioperative blood loss and of wound infection. While a higher rate of nerve palsy and pulmonary embolism was reported among morbidly obese patients compared with those in other weight categories in all studies, statistical significance was not achieved. One study reported increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) for obese patients compared with normal-weight patients.