Paediatric pelvic fractures: A review of 2 cohorts over 22 years

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this retrospective review was to identify all children that presented to our institution with a pelvic or acetabular fracture and to compare these children to a previous cohort of paediatric pelvic fractures that we have reported.

Patients: 53 children under the age of 16 were identified over a ten year period.

Methods: We reviewed our trauma database, hospital records and radiological imaging to determine the age, gender, fracture pattern, associated injuries and management of the pelvic fracture.

Results: There were 32 boys and 21 girls. Mean age of the boys was 8.8 years and the girls 10.7 years. In seven children the pelvic fracture was an isolated injury and in the remaining 46 children, there were 113 additional injuries. 56% of the additional injuries was either a fracture/dislocation (37%) or a head injury (19%). Compared to our first cohort, we had a larger number of children in the second cohort. Age, sex distribution, mechanism of injury was similar in the two groups. In this current cohort, use of CT scan imaging was more frequent, there were more unstable pelvic fracture patterns identified, ISS scores were higher and mortality was lower.

Conclusion: We have seen more children with more severe injuries, higher ISS scores but a lower mortality rate.

Keywords: Fracture; Paediatric fracture; Pelvis; Trauma; Trauma guidelines.