Profile of Traumatic Hip Dislocations in a West African Teaching Hospital

Purpose: Traumatic hip dislocations (THD) are rarely reported from developing countries. The aim of the current study is to describe the trauma, the presentation, the treatment and the outcome patterns of THD received in the trauma unit of an emergency department (ED) in west Africa. Patients and Methods: A retrospective ongoing study from 2008 to 2014 was performed at the ED. All patients over 15 years with an unreduced THD and an anteroposterior pelvic radiograph were studied. Data were collected and analyzed by means of a statistical software. Results: A total of 50 THD were included in the study. We found an average of seven dislocations per year with a mean age of 36 years mainly males (n = 37). Road traffic accidents by motorcycle (n = 20) were the common circumstance of trauma. Forty-five extra-pelvic THD were diagnosed. According to the Bigelow classification, THD were classified posterior (n = 33), anterior (n = 10) and irregular (n = 2). Associated acetabular fractures (n = 36), ipsilateral lower limb fractures (n = 10) and sciatic nerve palsy (n = 2) were also found. The THD cases were treated by closed reduction (n = 34), open reduction (n = 6) and Girdlestone procedure (n = 1). The outcome after 16 months showed 21 good and excellent functional results and one death. The short term complications were post traumatic arthritis (n = 10) and osteonecrosis (n = 2). Conclusion: The THD occurrences are important in our emergency department. They are characterized by the place of motorcycle accidents and by the delayed reduction due to hospital’s locations and numbers and beliefs. A reduction before four hours, an earlier rehabilitation, a non-use of traction and a short hospitalization time below 14 days gave better results.