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Fractures of the acetabulum occur when the head of the femur is driven into the pelvis. This injury is caused by a blow to either the side or front of the knee and often occurs as a dashboard injury accompanied by a fracture of the femur.
The acetabulum is a cavity situated on the outer surface of the hip bone, also called the coxal bone or innominate bone. It is made up of three bones, the ilium, ischium, and pubis. Together, the acetabulum and the head of the femur form the hip joint.
Fractures of the acetabulum in young individuals usually result from a high energy injury like vehicular accident or feet first fall. In older individuals or those with osteoporosis, a trivial fall may result in acetabular fracture.
In 1964, French surgeons Robertt Judet, Jean Judet, and Emile Letournel first described the mechanism, classification, and treatment of acetabular fracture. They classified these fractures into elementary and associated fractures.