Background: The pelvic ring fractures (PRF) and acetabular fractures (AF) are among the major orthopedic injuries associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Open surgical stabilization is the standard treatment for the majority of these complications. Percutaneous minimally invasive surgical stabilization of the fractures has become an accepted treatment method for the past several years. This study investigated the outcomes of percutaneous fixation of pelvic and acetabular fractures.
Methods: Totally, 143 patients with PRF or AF of whom 95 cases were males underwent percutaneous fixation between February 2015 and September 2016. All the operations were performed by a single surgeon in a supine position and under C-arm fluoroscopy visualization. The patients were followed up for one year.
Results: All the fractures healed in all of the patients within the first postoperative three months. The patients could bear weight completely on both lower limbs. Out of 143 patients, 133 cases could get back to their preoperative work (93%). The mean amount of intraoperative blood loss was 29±19 cc. Of the total patients, seven cases required oral analgesics because of moderate pain (4.9%). The means of operation time and length of incision were 32±8 min and 3.2±2.4 cm, respectively. There was one screw back out and one deep infection. No neurovascular injury was reported in this study.
Conclusion: Closed reduction and percutaneous minimally invasive screw fixation for a pelvic ring or acetabular fractures is a useful surgical treatment option with low complication rates.
Level of evidence: IV.
Keywords: Acetabulum; Fracture; Internal fixation; Minimally invasive surgery; Pelvis; Percutaneous screw fixation.