Earthquake-related pelvic crush fracture vs. non-earthquake fracture on digital radiography and MDCT: a comparative study

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine the features of earthquake-related pelvic crush fractures versus non-earthquake fractures with digital radiography and multidetector row computed tomography. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-seven survivors with pelvic crush fractures in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake were entered in our study as the earthquake-related group (139 underwent digital radiography, 28 underwent multidetector row computed tomography); 70 victims with non-earthquake pelvic fractures were enrolled into this study as the non-earthquake group (54 underwent digital radiography, 16 underwent multidetector row computed tomography). Data were reviewed retrospectively between groups, focusing on anatomic distributions, status of pelvic bone fractures, numbers of pelvic bones involved, and classification of pelvic ring fractures according to the Tile classification system. RESULTS: Pelvic fractures occurred more frequently in the pubis in the earthquake-related group than in the non-earthquake group (135/167, 81 percent vs. 48/70, 69 percent). In addition, comminuted fractures were more common in the earthquake-related group than in the non-earthquake group (55/167, 33 percent vs. 10/70, 14 percent). Multiple fractures were less common in the earthquake-related group than in the non-earthquake group (81/167, 49 percent vs. 46/70, 66 percent). Regarding the classification of pelvic ring fractures, Type C predominantly composed of subtype C3 occurred more frequently (64/167, 38 percent vs. 12/70, 17 percent), and Type A was less common in the earthquake-related group than in the non-earthquake group (31/167, 19 percent vs. 23/70, 32 percent). All differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). No difference was found in Type B fractures between the groups (72/167, 43 percent vs. 35/70, 50 percent). CONCLUSION: Earthquake-related pelvic crush fractures can be characterized by a high incidence of pelvic fractures occurring in the pubis, comminuted fractures, and Type C fractures predominantly composed by subtype C3, despite a low incidence of multiple fractures.