Relationship between the young-burgess classification system of pelvic fractures and mortality and morbidity

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the Young-Burgess classification [YBC] system and mortality and morbidity. A total of 50 cases of pelvic fracture in patients who were admitted to our emergency department between January 01, 2011, and February 26, 2012, were scanned. The fractures were classified according to the YBC system based on plain graphs and tomography results for a more objective classification. The total mortality rate was 10%. No relationship was found between the YBC groups and mortality. The relationship between the YBC types and erythrocyte transfusion requirement was statistically significant. The fracture types were classified into two groups stable [lateral compression type 1 [LC-1] and anterior-posterior compression [APC] type 1] and unstable [LC-2-, LC-3, APC-2, APC-3, vertical shear, and combined mechanism of injury]. The erythrocyte transfusion requirements were found to be significantly higher in the unstable group. Similarly, LC-2 showed higher erythrocyte transfusion requirements compared with LC-1. No relationship was observed between the groups and head- chest-abdomen-spine injuries. The mortality was higher in the unstable group than in the stable group, although the difference was not statistically significant. The YBC system is useful to understand the pelvic fracture type, despite no relationship between the different types of fracture and mortality and morbidity. The present results indicated the need for a new system for the classification of pelvic fractures