Demographic and clinical profiles of elementary versus associated acetabular fractures: insights from a single-center study

Background: Acetabular fractures present a complex spectrum of injuries, often categorized as simple (elementary) or associated (complex) based on the Judet and Letournel classification. Understanding whether this morphological distinction correlates with demographic or perioperative clinical parameters remains an area of active investigation. Methods: This retrospective study included 51 patients who underwent surgical treatment for acetabular fractures at our institution. Patients were grouped as elementary or complex based on fracture type. Demographic data, injury mechanism, operative time, hemoglobin change, transfusion requirements, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, hospital stay duration, and presence of concomitant injuries were recorded and compared between groups. Results: Of the 51 patients, 31 (60.8%) had elementary fractures and 20 (39.2%) had complex fractures. The mean age, injury mechanism, operative time, hemoglobin change, transfusion needs, and presence of concomitant injuries did not significantly differ between the two groups (p < 0.05). However, patients with complex fractures had a significantly longer hospital stay and higher ICU admission rates (p < 0.05). Concomitant injuries were observed in 56.9% of all patients, with similar distribution across fracture types. Conclusions: While elementary and complex acetabular fractures share similar demographic and perioperative profiles in terms of trauma mechanism, age, and operative parameters, complex fractures are associated with increased postoperative care requirements, including longer hospitalizations and greater ICU utilization. These findings suggest that fracture morphology itself may influence early postoperative outcomes independently of classic trauma severity indicators.