Background/Objectives: Older trauma patients experience increased in-hospital mortality due to the physiological challenges associated with aging and injury severity. However, limited data exist on long-term mortality rates beyond hospital discharge, particularly among severely injured elderly trauma patients. Understanding these outcomes is essential for improving clinical management and rehabilitation strategies. The objective of this study was to evaluate cumulative mortality rates (in-hospital, 28-day, 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year) in older trauma patients with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 16. Independent risk factors for 1-year mortality were also identified. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all trauma patients aged ≥ 65 years with ISS ≥ 16 admitted to the Emergency Department of our level 1 trauma center between January 2017 and December 2022. Demographic characteristics, injury patterns (Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores, ISS), and mortality rates were collected from electronic health records. Patients were stratified into two age groups: 65–80 years and >80 years. Mortality rates were compared with those in the corresponding age groups in the general Swiss population. Statistical analysis included Kaplan–Meier survival curves and logistic regression for identifying risk factors associated with 1-year mortality. Results: A total of 1189 older trauma patients with a mean ISS of 24.3 ± 7.9 were included. The most common injury was severe head trauma (AIS head ≥ 3: 70.6%), followed by chest trauma (AIS chest ≥ 3: 28.2%) and extremity injuries (AIS extremity ≥ 3: 17.4%). The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 10.3%. Mortality rates at 28 days, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years were 15.8%, 26.5%, 31.5%, and 36.3%, respectively. Age-stratified analysis showed significantly higher mortality rates in patients aged > 80 years compared to the 65- to 80-year group at all post-discharge time points (28-day: 22.6% vs. 11.9%, p < 0.001; 1-year: 39.9% vs. 18.8%, p < 0.001; 2-year: 46.5% vs. 22.8%, p < 0.001; 3-year: 56.4% vs. 24.9%, p < 0.001). Compared to the general Swiss population, we observed significantly higher mortality rates at all measured time points in elderly trauma patients, particularly in those aged over 80 years, with 1-year mortality rates of 39.9% vs. 10% in the general population and 3-year mortality rates of 56.4% vs. 30% in the general population. Independent risk factors for 1-year mortality included advanced age and severe head injury (AIS head ≥ 3, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Severely injured elderly trauma patients face high long-term mortality risks, with 1-year mortality rates reaching 26.5% overall and nearly 40% in patients aged > 80 years. These findings highlight the need for research on tailored, holistic management strategies, including comprehensive in-hospital care, specialized neurorehabilitation, and post-discharge follow-up programs to improve survival and functional recovery in this vulnerable population.

Background and Objectives: Atraumatic intrapelvic protrusion of the acetabular component following excessive reaming of the acetabulum with a far medial positioning of the cup is a rare, but serious complication of a total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study analyzes the factors contributing to this uncommon complication and presents the outcome after the revision surgery using the Ganz reinforcement ring combined with a bone graft and plating of the posterior column and/or screws for the anterior column. Materials and Methods: A retrospective case series study with seven patients (four males, mean age 76 ± 10 years (60–86)) that underwent a revision THA within 24 ± 17 days (5–60) after an atraumatic periprosthetic acetabular fracture with a medial cup protrusion was performed. All fractures were reconstructed with a Ganz reinforcement ring and bone graft with a mean follow-up of 1.7 ± 1.7 years (0.5–5). Radiographs were evaluated for the following: (i) cup positioning immediately after the primary THA and the revision surgery, (ii) cup migration in the follow-up, and (iii) fracture healing. Results: The position of the acetabular component as assessed on the postoperative radiographs after the index surgery and before the complete medial cup protrusion showed a cup placement beyond the ilioischial line indicative of a fracture of the medial wall. The revision surgery with the reconstruction of the medial wall with a Ganz reinforcement ring combined with a bone graft restored in the presented cases the center of rotation in the horizontal direction with a statistical significance (p < 0.05). During the follow-up, there was no aseptic loosening with the relevant cup migration or significant change in the position of the acetabular cup at the final follow-up (p > 0.05) after the revision. All seven fractures and bone grafts realized a bone union until the latest follow-up. Conclusions: Following excessive reaming, the acetabular component was placed too far medially and resulted in an intrapelvic cup protrusion. An unstable cup following a fracture of the medial wall was evident on the immediate postoperative radiographs. In the case of the medial wall perforation with an intrapelvic cup protrusion after the primary THA, the reconstruction with a Ganz reinforcement ring was a successful treatment option resulting in the fracture healing and a stable cup positioning. Surgeons should be aware of that rare and probably underreported complication and restore the anatomic center of rotation by treating the defect intraoperatively.

Background/Objectives: Acetabular fractures in older adults pose significant challenges due to bone fragility, complex fracture patterns, and increased comorbidities. Surgical management, including isolated open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and ORIF combined with acute total hip arthroplasty (THA) (combined hip procedure—CHP), have advanced considerably. Nevertheless, optimal postoperative rehabilitation and particularly weight-bearing (WB) recommendations remain controversial and inconsistent. This review aims to assess rehabilitation protocols, focusing on WB strategies following the surgical treatment of acetabular fractures in older adults. It also examines differences in WB restrictions by surgical technique (ORIF vs. CHP) and their impact on recovery, complications, reoperations, and mortality. Methods: A systematic review of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library (2006–2024) included studies involving patients aged ≥65 years treated surgically for displaced acetabular fractures. Data included WB protocols (full, partial, toe-touch), length of stay (LOS), healing, functional outcomes (mobility, Harris and Oxford Hip Scores), complications, reoperations, delayed THA, compliance, readmission, and mortality. Due to heterogeneity, findings were narratively synthesized. Risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS-I and RoB2. Results: Twenty studies involving 929 patients (530 isolated ORIF, 399 CHP) were analyzed. The overall mean follow-up was 3.5 years (range: 1–5.25 years). Postoperative WB protocols were reported in 19 studies (95%). Immediate full WB was permitted in 0% of isolated ORIF studies (0/13), with partial WB recommended by 62% (8/13) for durations typically between 6 and 12 weeks. On the other hand, immediate full WB was allowed in 53% (9/17) of CHP studies. Functional outcomes were moderate following isolated ORIF (mean HHS: 63–82 points), with delayed THA conversion rates ranging from 16.5% to 45%. CHP demonstrated superior functional outcomes (mean HHS: 70–92 points), earlier independent ambulation, and higher patient satisfaction (74–90%), yet increased orthopedic complications, including dislocations (8–11%) and implant loosening (up to 18%). LOS varied from 12 to 21 days (mean 16 days) for isolated ORIF and from 8 to 25 days (mean 17 days) for CHP. Readmission within 30 days was not explicitly reported in any study. Mortality at 1 year varied significantly (ORIF: 0–25%; CHP: 0–14%), increasing markedly at long-term follow-up (up to 42% ORIF, up to 70% CHP at five years). Compliance with WB restrictions was monitored in only two studies (11%). Conclusions: Postoperative rehabilitation after acetabular fracture surgery in older adults remains inconsistent and lacks standardization. Combining ORIF with acute THA may enable earlier weight-bearing and improved short-term function but carries risks such as dislocation and implant loosening. In contrast, isolated ORIF avoids these implant-related complications but often requires prolonged weight-bearing restrictions. Robust evidence is still missing. Future trials are essential to establish standardized protocols that balance mechanical protection and functional recovery.

The gull sign, representing superomedial dome impaction in acetabular fractures, was first described approximately 20 years ago by Anglen and co-workers. They concluded that this sign equates with poor outcomes after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), terming it a "harbinger for failure". Since then, the presence of the gull sign has frequently influenced surgical decision-making in geriatric acetabular fractures. The aim of this radiological descriptive study was to revisit the accuracy of the gull sign seen on pelvic radiographs in predicting dome impaction on computed tomography (CT). In a retrospective study, conventional pelvic radiographs and CT scans of n = 201 patients (mean age±SD: 68±17y, 75 % male) with acetabular fractures treated surgically between 2009 and 2020 were analyzed. The presence of the gull sign was assessed on anteroposterior pelvic radiographs. CT scans were assessed for true impaction ("brick sign") with focus on the acetabular surface and compared to the findings according to Anglen`s description. The gull sign was noted on pelvic radiographs in 49 of 201 cases (24 %). In 28 out of these 49 cases (57 %) a dome impaction was noted on CT. In the remaining 21 cases (43 %), CT revealed no actual impaction but rather an elevated dome following displaced fracture fragments. Conversely, among the 152 patients (76 %) without a gull sign, CT identified previously undetected dome impactions in 41 cases. Overall, the gull sign had a sensitivity of 41 %, a specificity of 84 %, and a positive predictive value of 57 % for detecting dome impactions. The gull sign is an unreliable predictor for dome impaction in acetabular fractures for the following reasons: in the presence of the gull sign nearly half of the cases an elevated fragment only (not an impacted fragment) was noted on CT; despite an absence of the gull sign in nearly one-third of these cases dome impactions ("brick sign") were present on CT. Consequently, routine preoperative CT imaging is essential to accurately differentiate true dome impactions ("brick sign") from dome elevation, thereby guiding appropriate surgical decision-making between "disimpaction versus reduction" and in general between the "fix or replace" debate.

The gull sign was described as a radiographic marker of superomedial dome impaction in acetabular fractures and was considered predictive of failure after osteosynthesis in older patients (≥ 60 years). To determine whether the radiographic gull sign is associated with higher conversion rates to total hip arthroplasty (THA) within 24 months after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for displaced acetabular fractures in patients aged ≥ 60 years. In this retrospective cohort study, 126 patients aged ≥ 60 years (mean 76 years, range 60.1-93.6) underwent ORIF for displaced acetabular fractures via the Pararectus approach between 2009 and 2020. Preoperative pelvic radiographs were assessed for the presence of the gull sign, and CT scans were evaluated for dome impaction. Failure was defined as conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA) within 24 months after ORIF. Kaplan-Meier analyses with log-rank tests were performed on the entire cohort, and diagnostic performance was analysed in the subset with complete two-year follow-up (n = 93). At two years, 20 of 93 patients (22 %) had undergone THA, occurring on average 12.1 months after the index surgery (range 2-45 months). A radiographic gull sign was identified in 21 patients (23 %). The subsequent THA conversion rate was similar between those with and without the sign (5/21 [24 %] vs 15/72 [21 %]; p = 0.99). Concordance between radiographs and CT was limited: only 12 of 21 gull-positive patients (57 %) showed a true dome impaction on CT, while CT nevertheless revealed impaction in 21 of 72 gull-negative patients (29 %). Among patients with CT-confirmed impaction, 8 of 33 (24 %) underwent THA within 24 months, compared with 12 of 60 (20 %) without impaction (p = 0.79). Kaplan-Meier analysis of the entire cohort (n = 126) likewise showed no difference in THA-free survival between groups. Neither a radiographic gull sign nor CT-confirmed dome impaction predicted early conversion in our series of acetabular fractures managed via Pararectus approach; overall conversion rates were acceptable. Accordingly, the gull sign is not a harbinger per se for failure of osteosynthesis in older adults.

Purpose The Pararectus approach is an anterior intrapelvic exposure introduced by Keel et al. for the management of anterior acetabular fractures. While its safety and effectiveness have been demonstrated, evidence regarding the learnability of this technically demanding method remains under discussion. This study compares the first fifty consecutive eligible cases treated by the approach’s inventor (group A) with the first fifty independent cases performed by a surgeon without prior acetabular subspecialization (group B). Methods Consecutive patients representing the first 50 Pararectus cases for displaced acetabular fractures in group A (2009–2013) and group B (2017–2021) were included. Baseline demographics were comparable except for age (64 vs. 73 years, p = 0.001) and trauma mechanism (high-energy trauma more frequent in group A, 46% vs. 12%; p < 0.001). Group A was treated using manually contoured reconstruction and buttress plates, whereas group B was managed with a standardized traction-table setup and a precontoured suprapectineal plate system (p < 0.001). Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, intra- and postoperative complications, CT-based reduction quality, reoperations ≤ 30 days, and conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA) ≤ 24 months were analyzed. Results The analyzed outcomes demonstrated comparable operative parameters between both groups: (i) Operative time averaged 172 min (range 50–339) in group A and 165 min (90–266) in group B (p = 0.19), (ii) intraoperative blood loss was 1000 ml (250–6000) in group A and 900 ml (200–4500) in group B (p = 0.09), (iii) intraoperative complications occurred in 5/50 (10%) in group A compared with 3/50 (6%) in group B (p = 0.71), (iv) CT-based reduction quality was anatomical in 36/50 (72%) in group A and 31/50 (62%) in group B, imperfect in 14/50 (28%) vs. 16/50 (32%), and poor in 0/50 (0%) vs. 3/50 (6%) (overall p = 0.17), (v) postoperative complications occurred in 7/50 (14%) in group A and 5/50 (10%) in group B (p = 0.75), (vi) of these, reoperations ≤ 30 days were required in 7/50 (14%) in group A and 1/50 (2%) in group B (p = 0.066), (vii) conversion to THA ≤ 24 months was required in 5/50 (10%) in group A and 2/50 (6%) in group B (p = 0.70), with a mean time to THA of 13.8 months vs. 5.8 months (p = 0.22). Conclusion Operative parameters, reduction quality, postoperative complications, and conversion to THA ≤ 24 months were comparable between the two surgeons. These findings indicate that, within a standardized workflow and instrumentation, the Pararectus approach can be applied safely and reproducibly even during the early phase of independent practice.