Neurologic injury associated with pelvic trauma: radiology and electrodiagnosis evaluation and their relationships to pain and gait outcome

Abstract

Objectives: To study the electrodiagnosis presentation of patients with lower-extremity nerve injury related to pelvic trauma, to assess gait outcome and correlation to injury type and electrodiagnosis, and to study the incidence of pain postinjury and the relationships between injury type and electrodiagnosis and pain type.

Design: Retrospective review.

Setting: Tertiary care university hospital.

Participants: Seventy-eight patients who present with lower-extremity nerve injury associated with pelvic trauma.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main outcome measures: Electrodiagnostic results, the relationship between electrodiagnosis and fracture or injury type, and gait and pain outcomes.

Results: The characteristic neurologic injury in patients with pelvic trauma was a lumbosacral plexus injury (71% of cases). Sciatic nerve injuries were more common in patients with isolated acetabular fractures (9/10 cases). Gait outcome was related to electrodiagnostic abnormality and severity. Long-term assisted gait was best predicted by absent peroneal conduction to the extensor digitorum brevis (P<.001) and absent motor unit potentials on anterior tibialis needle examination (P<.001). Neuropathic pain was seen in patients with any degree of gait abnormality. Orthopedic pain was more common in patients with an acetabular fracture (P<.025).

Conclusions: Lumbosacral plexus injury after pelvic trauma is a characteristic disorder with severe long-term implications regarding both pain and gait outcome.