A patient sustains a posterior dislocation of the hip with an associated fracture of the femoral head. In the Pipkin classification, a Type III injury is defined as:

• A Femoral head fracture caudal to the fovea centralis
• B Femoral head fracture cephalad to the fovea centralis
• C Femoral head fracture with an acetabular rim fracture
• D Femoral head fracture associated with a fracture of the femoral neck ✓

Explanation

Pipkin Types I and II are femoral head fractures below and above the fovea respectively; Type III combines any femoral head fracture with a femoral neck fracture, carrying a very high rate of avascular necrosis and nonunion; Type IV adds an acetabular rim fracture. Option C describes Type IV, the most commonly confused distractor.

Reference: Rockwood and Green's Fractures in Adults, 9th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.