Femoral artery thrombosis after open reduction of an acetabular fracture

The increasingly popular ilioinguinal anterior approach for select fractures of the acetabulum provides excellent exposure with minimal soft tissue dissection. Vascular complications reported with this procedure, although infrequent, are usually quite pronounced in their presentation. The authors encountered a more subtle case of femoral artery thrombosis secondary to vessel retraction while using this approach. The susceptibility of major vessels to thrombus formation is noteworthy. The precautions, and the close postoperative monitoring necessary to detect such vascular lesions, are emphasized.