Background: Pelvic fractures are rare but severe injuries. The influence of a concomitant abdominal trauma on the quality of care regarding operative parameters, such as reduction quality and the clinical course in pelvic injuries has not yet been sufficiently investigated.
Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the prospective consecutive data of patients with pelvic injuries treated at the BG Trauma Center in Tübingen in the years 2003-2017. Demographic, clinical and operative parameters were recorded and compared between two groups (isolated pelvic fracture vs. combined abdominal/pelvic trauma).
Results: A total of 1848 patients with pelvic injuries were treated during this period and 18.6% had a concomitant abdominal trauma. The mean age was 62.3 ± 23.1 years. Comparing the two groups, patients with a combination of pelvic and abdominal trauma were significantly younger (46.3 ± 20.3 years vs. 70.6 ± 20.8 years; p < 0.001). Both the overall complication rate (31.2% vs. 9.4%; p < 0.001) and mortality (5.0% vs. 1.7%; p = 0.001) were significantly higher in the group with a combination of injuries. The time until definitive surgery of the pelvis was significantly longer in the group with combined injuries (6.0 ± 6.4 days vs. 4.5 ± 4.4 days; p = 0.002). The results of postoperative reduction did not differ between the two groups.
Conclusion: Patients with a pelvic injuries have a concomitant abdominal trauma in approximately 20% of the cases. The clinical course is significantly prolonged in patients with a combined injury and morbidity and mortality rates are increased; however, the quality of the postoperative results is not influenced by a concomitant abdominal injury.
Keywords: Abdominal trauma; Acetabular fracture; Pelvic ring fracture; Pelvic trauma; Reduction results.