The gold standard approach for open reduction and internal fixation of acetabular fractures involving the anterior column was the ilioinguinal approach introduced by Letournel [
1]. In the literature, 40–80% of anatomically reduced results using post-operative conventional X-rays were described [
2,
3]. Within the last 30 years incidence of acetabular fractures even in the elder population has been almost doubled, and the complexity of these fractures has increased [
4]. In the same period of time, significantly more fractures involving the anterior column, dislocations of the quadrilateral plate or impaction of the acetabular dome occurred [
4]. In a large retrospective analysis, age over 65 years, initial fracture displacement of more than 2 mm, and fracture pattern involving the anterior column were defined to be important predictive factors for fixation failure and need for consecutive total hip arthroplasty (THA) [
1]. Other studies demonstrated that typical fracture configurations of the elderly such as anterior column fractures, anterior wall fractures, anterior column posterior hemitransverse fractures, or both column fractures were associated with fair to poor clinical and radiological results in more than 30% of cases [
5]. Especially superior-medial dome impaction of the acetabulum is predictive for fixation failure in elderly patients [
4]. For open reduction and internal fixation of the medialized quadrilateral plate, the ilioinguinal approach has been established [
6]. Due to the relevant morbidity of the ilioinguinal approach, the modified Stoppa approach was developed as a less invasive surgical access [
7]. While the ilioinguinal approach exposes the pelvic brim under direct visualization except for the quadrilateral plate and the acetabular dome, which may result in a suboptimal reduction of impacted acetabular dome fractures or displaced quadrilateral plate, the modified Stoppa approach allows direct view under the pelvic brim including the quadrilateral plate [
8]. Alternatively, with respect to potential neurological and vascular complications or to peritoneal breach, the pararectus approach has been developed as alternative access directly to the joint which combines the advantages of the second and third windows of the ilioinguinal approach with the medial view of the modified Stoppa approach to treat acetabular fractures with affection of the quadrilateral plate [
9]. But only few studies on functional outcome exist in the literature, and cohort groups are comparatively small resulting in a strong need for further clinical data [
10,
11].
This retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data presents functional mid-term results 2 years after open reduction and internal fixation of displaced acetabular fractures involving the anterior column using the pararectus approach.