Quadrilateral Socket - Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics

- Discussion:
- traditional quadrilateral socket has narrow anteroposterior diameter to keep the ischium positioned back
and up on top of the posterior brim of the socket for wt bearing;
- anterior wall of the socket is 5 to 7 cm higher than the posterior wall to hold the leg back on the ischial seat;
- anterior pain, a frequent complain, should be adressed by very local relief, such as, padding
over the anterior superior iliac spine;
- if the anterior wall is lowered or relieved, the ischium will slip inside socket and totally
alter load transfer and pressure areas;
- eventhough the lateral wall is contoured to hold the femur in adduction the overall dimensions of the quadrilateral
socket are not anatomic and provide poor femoral stability in the coronal plane;
- disadvantages:
- lack of medial proximal stabilizing force;