Following a car accident, a 37-year-old lady is taken to the emergency room. She lost control of her automobile as she round a bend and collided with a brick wall head on. Any movement causes considerable discomfort in the patient's right hip. The right lower extremity is adducted and internally rotated, and it appears shorter than the contralateral leg. Due to considerable discomfort, range of motion testing at the hip is limited in all directions. The display includes an X-ray of the hip. Which of the following structures is most vulnerable to involvement from this patient's injury?

Question

Following a car accident, a 37-year-old lady is taken to the emergency room. She lost control of her automobile as she round a bend and collided with a brick wall head on. Any movement causes considerable discomfort in the patient's right hip. The right lower extremity is adducted and internally rotated, and it appears shorter than the contralateral leg. Due to considerable discomfort, range of motion testing at the hip is limited in all directions. The display includes an X-ray of the hip.  Which of the following structures is most vulnerable to involvement from this patient's injury?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Posterior hip dislocation (ie, femoral head displaced posteriorly from the acetabulum) can occur in motor vehicle collisions in which the knee strikes the dashboard or from falls in elderly patients.  On examination, the leg appears shortened and internally rotated, with the hip held in flexion and adduction.  The sciatic nerve is vulnerable to injury in posterior hip dislocation.

Following a Car Accident, a 37-Year-Old Lady Is Taken to the Emergency