To determine the advantages of triradiate approach in complex acetabular fractures, the results were reviewed for 24 patients who had open reduction and internal fixation of complex acetabular fractures with a triradiate approach.

Twenty four patients were followed for a mean of 3 years after the operation. All patients with complex fractures of the acetabulum were treated with open reduction and internal fixation using Y-shaped triradiate incision, osteotomy of the greater trochanter, and arthrotomy of the hip joint. In 13 patients the fracture was fixed with reconstruction plates and in I 1 patients the fracture was fixed with the plates and wires.

All fractures united and no patient required subsequent total hip replacement arthroplasty. Four patients had heterotopic ossification without serious limitation of motion of the hip and one patient had grade IV lesion as defined by Brooker et al, which limited motion of the hip enough to impair function. Six patients showed posttraumatic arthritis at the latest radiograph. The overall clinical result was excellent for 7 hips, good for 13, and fair for 4 as defined by d' Aubigne and Postel. The radiological result was excellent for 13 hips, and good for 6 as defined by Matta. One femoral head necrosis was observed at the latest follow-up.

A triradiate approach provides a good extra and intraarticular access to complex fracture of the acetabulum, which facilitates an accurate reduction, rigid fixation, removal of loose osteochondral fragments and management of labial injury, without increased morbidity of the hip joint.