Pelvic ring fractures in the elderly now and then - a pelvic registry study

Objectives: To analyze the changes in demographic data stratified for age, sex and type of injury of elderly patients suffering from pelvic ring fractures over a 22-year observation period.

Design/setting: Data has been collected prospectively, multi-centrically in hospitals participating in the German Pelvic Trauma Registry.

Patients: We analyzed the data of 5665 patients with an age ≥60years included in the German Pelvic Trauma Registry from 1991 to 2013.

Key results: Over the 22-year study period the frequency of type A fractures decreased significantly from 84.8% to 43.9%, while type C and, in particular, type B fractures significantly increased from 7.0% and 8.2% to 14.3% and 41.8%. In patients between 60 and 70 years of age the frequency of type B and C fractures was higher compared to patients >70years. The proportion of female patients, who represent the majority of the cohort (75%), was stable over the entire observation period. Interestingly, type A fractures were found more frequently in females, while type B and C fractures were found more frequently in males.

Conclusions: With the predicted demographic change and a shift toward more severe injury patterns (type B and C pelvic fractures) in the elderly population, trauma departments will need to develop specific surgical concepts for geriatric patients with pelvic ring fractures.