INJURY OF THE SCIATIC-NERVE ASSOCIATED WITH ACETABULAR FRACTURE

In order to document functional outcome, we followed fourteen patients who had an injury of the sciatic nerve associated with a displaced ac etabular fracture for a mean of twenty-seven months. In three of the p atients, the injury was iatrogenic. Electromyography was useful in the localization and determination of the severity of the injury. Accordi ng to the functional scale that was used, all but one patient had a sa tisfactory (fair or better) functional outcome, but eleven patients ha d residual neurological sequelae that ranged from minor paresthesia to footdrop. Seven patients who had an injury of both the tibial and per oneal divisions of the sciatic nerve had complete or nearly complete m otor and sensory recovery of the tibial component. The patients who ha d isolated, mild involvement of the peroneal nerve had a favorable pro gnosis, but those who had a severe injury of the peroneal component, w hether it was isolated or associated with an injury of the tibial comp onent, did not recover good function.