Roller traction: mobilizing patients with acetabular fractures.

Patients with acetabular fractures unamenable to open reduction and internal fixation are subject to 6-12 weeks of traction and, traditionally, bed rest. Using roller traction allows the patient to be mobilized to a bedside chair and to stand without disrupting the traction. This is accomplished by slightly modifying a standard lower extremity skeletal traction setup. Roller pulleys and stopper clamps are substituted for the usual pulleys. These are attached to extra-long horizontal bars that expand the lateral space that the patient can now use around the bed. Roller traction helps prevent the common complications of prolonged bed rest, particularly deep vein thrombosis, skin breakdown, pulmonary stasis and boredom.