Abstract:
This study deals with the intermediate and long-term outcome after instable pelvic ring fractures. From 1990 to 2002, 123 patients were treated with Class B and C fractures of the pelvic ring in the BG-Unfallklinik in Tübingen. Capacious epidemiological, clinical and radiological data of these 123 patients were reviewed. In addition to that clinical and radiological long-term outcome of a representative group of 71 of these patients (58%) could be analysed with a follow-up of at least 5 years.
The average age of our patients at the time of trauma was 37 years. 66% percent were male. Cause of trauma was in most cases a high speed traffic accident. Therefore, most of the pelvic ring fractures (87%) didn’t occur as single trauma but were accompanied by multiple other injuries. Overall lethality was 5%. With 77% most common fracture types were Class C fractures, whereas Class B fractures only accounted for 23%. Most of the cases were treated surgically (56%) mainly using surgical plates at the anterior as well as at the posterior pelvic ring. Postoperative reposition was evaluated radiologically according to Matta and Tornetta. Thus, 71% of the radiological results postoperatively were excellent or good. Regarding the long-term results, percentage of excellent or good results even increased to 87%.
In order to evaluate long-term health status and quality of life we used various questionnaires as well as clinical examination. 55% of our patients were afflicted with persisting pain in the pelvic region. This pain was felt to be strong in 30%, intermediate in 45% and slight in 25% of cases. Neurological deficits were shown by 55% of patients. In some cases dysfunction of micturition, dejection or erection as well as dyspareunia were also found. Various outcome scores enabled us to evaluate the results we had gained objectively and compare them with previous studies. Implementing the Harris Hip Score, our patients achieved 76 of 100 possible points on average, and according to the Merle d’Aubigné-Postel-Score, 69% of our results were good or very good. Using the pelvic ring outcome score according to Pohlemann, 37% of our patients got an excellent overall result, whereas 16% got a good and 41% an intermediate result. Only 6% of our results had to be described as bad. At the time of clinical examination, 81% of our patients generally were fit for work with an average Karnofsky index of 86%. 9% of patients were not content with the long-term outcome of the treatment of their pelvic ring injury.
Altogether the achieved data implemented that our patients’ health status and quality of life compared to the common population was worse, but compared to previous studies dealing with short to intermediate outcome after pelvic ring injuries, our results are not differing much.