Neurologic Injury within Pelvic Ring Injuries

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence of neurologic injury in pelvic ring injuries and to assess the risk factors for neurologic injury related to pelvic fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-two patients with the pelvic ring injury were enrolled in the study from March 2010 to May 2013. When the neurologic injury was suspected clinically, the electro-diagnostic tests were performed. Combined injuries, fracture types, and longitudinal displacements were examined for correlations with the neurologic injury. RESULTS: There were 7 cases of AO/OTA type A, 37 cases of type B, and 18 cases of type C. Among them, 25 patients (40%) had combined spine fractures, and the average of longitudinal displacement was 7 mm (1-50 mm). Of the 62 patients, 13 (21%) had neurologic injury related with pelvic fractures; 5 with lumbosacral plexus injury, 5 with L5 or S1 nerve injury, 2 with obturator nerve injury, and 1 case of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve injury. There were no relationships between the neurologic injuries and fracture types (p=0.192), but the longitudinal displacements of posterior ring and combined spine fractures were related to the neurologic injury within pelvic ring injury (p=0.006, p=0.048). CONCLUSION: The incidence of neurologic injury in pelvis fracture was 21%. In this study, the longitudinal displacements of posterior ring and combined spine fractures were risk factors for neurological injury in pelvic ring injury.