Abstract
Background
The primary goal of treatment for open book pelvic injuries after high-energy trauma is to control haemorrhage and to close the pelvic ring anatomically. Less commonly, patients may present late with malunion or non-union.
Methods
We reviewed five operatively treated patients with delayed severe open book deformities who had a diastasis of more than 6 cm. We describe the pre-operative workup, surgical strategy and challenges experienced. They specifically include: extensive scar and contracture formation, malunion, urogenital prolapse and difficult reduction of vertical shear element. A 5 to 15-point clinical scoring system based on quality of life regarding pain, ambulation, social function, continence control and presence of prolapse is proposed.
Results
One elderly patient had early mortality after surgery. The other four patients had quality of life improvement by 3 to 5 points after one year. Correction is often clinically successful despite technical challenges and unpredictable radiological results.
Conclusion
External fixator and the C-clamp are good reduction tools. Powerful implants should be used and fixation of the posterior ring is mandatory. Staged urogenital and pelvic floor reconstruction is recommended before bony reconstruction to minimize the risk of wound contamination. Patients receiving this complex procedure have a good chance for improvement in pain and functional status.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Holstein JH, Culemann U, Pohlemann T (2012) What are predictors of mortality in patients with pelvic fractures? Clin Orthop Relat Res 470(8):2090–2097. doi:10.1007/s11999-012-2276-9
Yoshihara H, Yoneoka D (2014) Demographic epidemiology of unstable pelvic fracture in the United States from 2000 to 2009: trends and in-hospital mortality. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 76(2):380–385. doi:10.1097/TA.0b013e3182ab0cde
Gaensslen A, Pohlemann T, Paul C, Lobenhoffer P, Tscherne H (1996) Epidemiology of pelvic ring injuries. Injury 27(Suppl 1):S-a13–S-a20
Giannoudis PV, Grotz MR, Tzioupis C, Dinopoulos H, Wells GE, Bouamra O, Lecky F (2007) Prevalence of pelvic fractures, associated injuries, and mortality: the United Kingdom perspective. J Trauma 63(4):875–883. doi:10.1097/01.ta.0000242259.67486.15
Hauschild O, Strohm PC, Culemann U, Pohlemann T, Suedkamp NP, Koestler W, Schmal H (2008) Mortality in patients with pelvic fractures: results from the German pelvic injury register. J Trauma 64(2):449–455. doi:10.1097/TA.0b013e31815982b1
Matta JM, Tornetta P 3rd (1996) Internal fixation of unstable pelvic ring injuries. Clin Orthop Relat Res 329(329):129–140
Van den Bosch EW, Van der Kleyn R, Hogervorst M, Van Vugt AB (1999) Functional outcome of internal fixation for pelvic ring fractures. J Trauma 47(2):365–371
Dienstknecht T, Pfeifer R, Horst K, Sellei RM, Berner A, Zelle BA, Probst C, Pape HC (2013) The long-term clinical outcome after pelvic ring injuries. Bone Joint J 95-B(4):548–553. doi:10.1302/0301-620X.95B4.30804
Tile M (1988) Pelvic ring fractures: should they be fixed? J Bone Joint Surg Br Vol 70(1):1–12
Marsh JL, Slongo TF, Agel J, Broderick JS, Creevey W, DeCoster TA, Prokuski L, Sirkin MS, Ziran B, Henley B, Audigé L (2007) Fracture and dislocation classification compendium - 2007: Orthopaedic trauma association classification, database and outcomes committee. J Orthop Trauma 21(10):S1–S6
Oransky M, Tortora M (2007) Nonunions and malunions after pelvic fractures: why they occur and what can be done? Injury 38(4):489–496. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2007.01.019
Pape HC, Pohlemann T, Gansslen A, Simon R, Koch C, Tscherne H (2000) Pelvic fractures in pregnant multiple trauma patients. J Orthop Trauma 14(4):238–244
Lee SY, Niikura T, Sakai Y, Miwa M, Nishida K, Kuroda R, Kurosaka M (2013) Sacral fracture nonunion treated by bone grafting through a posterior approach. Case Rep Orthop 2013:932521. doi:10.1155/2013/932521
Gautier E, Rommens PM, Matta JM (1996) Late reconstruction after pelvic ring injuries. Injury 27(Suppl 2):B39–B46
Mears DC, Velyvis J (2003) Surgical reconstruction of late pelvic post-traumatic nonunion and malalignment. J Bone Joint Surg Br Vol 85(1):21–30
Van den Bosch EW, Van der Kleyn R, Van Zwienen MCMA, Van Vugt AB (2014) Nonunion of unstable fractures of the pelvis. Eur J Trauma 28(2):100–103. doi:10.1007/s00068-002-1188-x
Tripathy SK, Goyal T, Sen RK (2015) Nonunions and malunions of the pelvis. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 41(4):335–342. doi:10.1007/s00068-014-0461-0
Rousseau MA, Laude F, Lazennec JY, Saillant G, Catonne Y (2006) Two-stage surgical procedure for treating pelvic malunions. Int Orthop 30(5):338–341. doi:10.1007/s00264-006-0089-8
Ter–Grigorian AA, Kasyan GR, Pushkar DY (2013) Urogenital disorders after pelvic ring injuries. Cent Eur J Urol 66(3):352–356. doi:10.5173/ceju.2013.03.art28
Lee KJ, Min BW, Oh GM, Lee SW (2015) Surgical Correction of pelvic Malunion and nonunion. Clin Orthop Surg 7(3):396–401. doi:10.4055/cios.2015.7.3.396
Young JW, Burgess AR, Brumback RJ, Poka A (1986) Pelvic fractures: value of plain radiography in early assessment and management. Radiology 160(2):445–451. doi:10.1148/radiology.160.2.3726125
Baden WF, Walker TA, Lindsey JH (1968) The vaginal profile. Tex Med 64(5):56–58
Karunakar MA, Le TT, Bosse MJ (2004) The modified ilioinguinal approach. J Orthop Trauma 18(6):379–383
Cole JD, Bolhofner BR (1994) Acetabular fracture fixation via a modified Stoppa limited intrapelvic approach. Description of operative technique and preliminary treatment results. Clin Orthop Relat Res (305):112–123
Denis F, Davis S, Comfort T (1988) Sacral fractures: an important problem. Retrospective analysis of 236 cases. Clin Orthop Relat Res 227:67–81
Herren C, Dienstknecht T, Siewe J, Kobbe P, Pape HC, Hildebrand F (2016) Chronic instability of the pubic symphysis: etiology, diagnostics and treatment management. Unfallchirurg 119(5):433–446. doi:10.1007/s00113-016-0166-4
Kanakaris NK, Angoules AG, Nikolaou VS, Kontakis G, Giannoudis PV (2009) Treatment and outcomes of pelvic malunions and nonunions: a systematic review. Clin Orthop Relat Res 467(8):2112–2124. doi:10.1007/s11999-009-0712-2
Matta JM, Saucedo T (1989) Internal fixation of pelvic ring fractures. Clin Orthop Relat Res 242:83–97
Pishnamaz M, Sellei R, Pfeifer R, Lichte P, Pape HC, Kobbe P (2012) Low back pain during pregnancy caused by a sacral stress fracture: a case report. J Med Case Rep 6:98. doi:10.1186/1752-1947-6-98
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors and their immediate family members declare no conflict of interest related to this study.
Funding
There is no funding source.
Ethical approval
Ethics committee approval is not required in the authors centre for this study type.
Informed consent
Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fang, C., Alabdulrahman, H., Pfeifer, R. et al. Late reconstruction of severe open-book deformities of the pelvis — tips and tricks. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 41, 1777–1784 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-017-3549-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-017-3549-4