Citation

DeFrancesco CJ, Sankar WN. Semin. Pediatr. Surg. 2017; 26(1): 27-35.

Affiliation

Division of Orthopaedics, The Children׳s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104. Electronic address: sankarw@gmail.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1053/j.sempedsurg.2017.01.006

PMID

28302282

Abstract

Although traumatic pelvic fractures in children are relatively rare, these injuries are identified in about 5% of children admitted to level 1 trauma centers after blunt trauma.(1-4) Such injuries differ from adult pelvic fractures in important ways and require distinct strategies for management. While the associated mortality rate for children with pelvic fractures is much lower than that for adults, the patient may require urgent surgical intervention for associated life-threatening injuries such as head trauma and abdominal injury. Unstable pelvic ring fractures should be acutely managed using an initial approach similar to that used in adult orthopedic traumatology. Although very few pediatric pelvic fractures will ultimately need surgical treatment, patients with these injuries must be followed over time to confirm proper healing, ensure normal pelvic growth, and address any potential complications. The trauma team suspecting a pelvic fracture in a child must understand the implication of such a finding, identify fracture patterns that increase suspicion of associated injuries, and involve pediatric or adult orthopedic specialists as appropriate during the management of the patient.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Acetabular fracture; Pediatric trauma; Pelvic fractures; Pelvic trauma; Triradiate cartilage